New date for Haitian voting postponed after president was killed

Haitian President Giovinel Mois and his wife Martina Mois in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

• Haiti will hold its last presidential election scheduled for September on November 7. The assassination of President Jovenel Moise is still shrouded in mystery.
• The Provisional Election Commission stated that polling day will include the first round of presidential elections, legislative elections and a constitutional referendum.
• Due to the coronavirus pandemic and legislative elections that were supposed to be held in 2019, the referendum was postponed twice.

Officials said on Wednesday that Haiti will hold its last presidential election scheduled for September on November 7. The assassination of President Jovenel Moise is still shrouded in mystery.

In the early morning of July 7, an assault team stormed into the presidential residence and shot Moise. His wife Martina was injured but survived.

The Provisional Election Commission stated that polling day will include the first round of presidential elections, legislative elections that should be held in 2019, and a constitutional referendum supported by Moise.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the referendum was postponed twice.

According to the new election calendar, the second round of presidential and legislative elections will be held on January 23, 2022 at the same time as municipal and local elections that have also been postponed for many years.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was sworn in last month, vowed to restore order in the country and organize the long-sought elections for Haitians and the international community.

Haiti currently has no working parliament and only a few elected senators.

The police said they had arrested 44 people in connection with the president’s murder, including 12 Haitian police officers, 18 Colombians who were allegedly members of the commando team, and two Haitian Americans.

Moise’s security officer is one of the detainees.

Moise has been ruling this impoverished and disaster-stricken country through decree. Gang violence has surged in recent months and Covid-19 has spread rapidly.

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