Americas News

Haiti: No changes in presidential election results for now

Jan 19, 2011, 15:47 GMT

Port-au-Prince/Sao Paulo - The disputed results of Haiti's presidential election are to remain unchanged for now.

According to Haitian media reports, the Caribbean country's Electoral Commission decided Tuesday not to heed a recommendation of the Organization of American States (OAS) that said changes were in order in the preliminary results of the November 28 election.

According to these preliminary results, conservative Mirlande Manigat is to face off in a runoff with ruling-party candidate Jude Celestin.

An OAS electoral mission recommended amid allegations of widespread fraud that popular musician Michel Martelly go through to the runoff along with Manigat.

The official results of the election have not been announced, and the runoff, originally scheduled for January 16, has been postponed without a new date being set.

The Haitian Electoral Commission is still evaluating possible changes, according to media reports.

Many people in Haiti have accused outgoing Haitian President Rene Preval of tweaking the election results to favour Celestin.

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