No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsCrimeTwo dead in Haiti election violence

Two dead in Haiti election violence

PORTU-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Two people were killed during Haiti’s long-delayed legislative elections amid violence that forced some polling stations to close early, political parties said Monday.

The elections, held after a four-year delay, were meant to be a stride toward restoring constitutional order in the destitute Caribbean country.

Turnout was reported to be low. Several Port-au-Prince polling stations were vandalized in the morning and 26 shut down early because of violence.

The president of a party called Fusion, Edmonde Supplice Beauzile, said the son of a party supporter was killed in the town of Savanette in central Haiti. She did not give the cause of death.

Beauzile, a former senator who is now running for president, said two members of her party were injured.

Haitian President Michel Martelly’s party, PHTK, said that one of its supporters was shot to death in the north of Haiti.

The National Police gave no numbers on election day casualties. It did say that more than 130 people were arrested and that officers had seized 23 firearms.

These were the first legislative elections in Haiti since Martelly took power in 2011.

The poorest country in the Americas suffers from chronic instability and is struggling to recover from a devastating 2010 earthquake that killed more than 250,000 people and crippled the nation’s infrastructure.

Postponed due to a crisis between Haiti’s executive branch and the opposition, the elections were to determine all members of the Chamber of Deputies and two-thirds of its Senate.

Parliament was dissolved on January 13, 2015 after lawmakers’ terms were not extended, and legislative chambers have remained empty for months.

More than 1,800 candidates from 128 registered parties were vying for 139 posts in the two houses.

Sunday was the first of three election days before the end of the year.

Recommended: How the Clintons’ Haiti development plans succeed – and disappoint

Trending Now

Bahía Papagayo Project Clears Hurdle as Court Rejects Environmental Appeal

A $925 million tourism development in Guanacaste is pushing forward after Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court dismissed an appeal challenging its environmental approval. The Bahía...

Costa Rica Tourism Slips Again in May 2025: U.S. and European Visitors Drop

Tourist arrivals to Costa Rica took another hit in May 2025, raising red flags for the country’s vital tourism industry. Data from the Costa...

Costa Rica’s Tourism Minister Denies Crisis Despite Falling Visitor Numbers

Costa Rica’s Tourism Minister, William Rodríguez, is pushing back against claims that the country’s tourism sector is in trouble. Speaking to the Legislative Assembly’s...

Costa Rica’s 2025 Flamingo Fishing Rodeo Highlights Sport and Conservation

With great fishing and a renewed focus on family fun, the Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo presented by Marina Flamingo is set to take center stage in the world...

Volaris Launches New Costa Rica Flights to Miami, Orlando, and Tulum

Volaris Airlines just rolled out three new direct routes from San José, Costa Rica, to Miami and Orlando, Florida, and Tulum, Mexico. These flights,...

Costa Rica Minister Faces Accusations Over Gandoca-Manzanillo Development

Costa Rica’s reputation as an environmental leader is under scrutiny. A formal complaint filed by environmental lawyer Marco Levy has called for a criminal...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
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