No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsGlobalUS urges Haiti leaders to hold elections soon

US urges Haiti leaders to hold elections soon

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday urged Haiti to hold parliamentary elections as soon as possible to end a political crisis that has sparked violent protests in the impoverished Caribbean nation.

Haiti’s Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe resigned under pressure Sunday, clearing the way for a new government to tackle an impasse that has blocked parliamentary elections for three years.

Haiti is still struggling to recover from a catastrophic 2010 earthquake that devastated Port-au-Prince and claimed the lives of more than 100,000 people.

“Recognizing the concessions made by all sides to resolve the impasse, the United States urges all parties to reach without delay a definitive agreement on all outstanding issues and to carry out that agreement in good faith,” Kerry said.

“Too much progress has been made since the earthquake to risk going backwards now,” he said, urging Haiti’s leaders “to negotiate a solution that will open the door for elections to be scheduled as soon as possible.”

If elections are not held before January 12, the legislature will be automatically dissolved and President Michel Martelly can rule by decree.

Martelly’s foes have accused him of seeking to return Haiti to dictatorial rule. The country’s former strongman Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier died in October.

But Kerry said Lamothe’s resignation was evidence that Martelly was committed to resolving the situation, and commended him “for his courageous efforts to resolve the deadlock.”

Lamothe, 42, has been prime minister since May 2012.

Trending Now

Empty Stadiums and Inequality Mar Women’s Copa América

Nearly empty stadiums, players' criticism of the organization, and demands for equality in South American football have marked the 2025 Women's Copa América in...

Judicial Corruption Exposed in Costa Rica’s Latest Drug Bust

Costa Rican authorities took down a cocaine smuggling operation Tuesday that moved drugs from South America to the United States, with a judicial worker...

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly Vacation in Costa Rica with Baby

Megan Fox and Machine Gun Kelly touched down in Costa Rica for a family getaway with their three-month-old daughter, Saga Blade Fox-Baker. Photographers caught...

Can Costa Rica’s Blue Zone Preserve Its Longevity Legacy?

The Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica is recognized worldwide as one of the five blue zones, where people live beyond the age of 90...

Keylor Navas Leads Pumas to Victory in His Liga MX Debut

Keylor Navas kicked off his Mexican league journey with Pumas UNAM in style, leading the team to a 2–0 win over Querétaro at Estadio...

Panama Farmer Receives Land Title After 60-Year Wait at Age 109

A 109-year-old Panamanian farmer has received the land title for the property where he lives and works—six decades after first requesting it from the...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica