Actualités

Police clash with Haiti protesters on Independence Day

Haitian police have clashed with anti-government protesters demanding President Michel Martelly to relinquish power.

Police stormed thousands of protesters who set tires on fire in the streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince, on January 1, which marks Independence Day.

The demonstrators said the government is corrupt, urging the country's officials to hold long-delayed legislative and municipal elections.

In December, Laurent Lamothe, Haiti's prime minister, along with several ministers announced their resignation in the wake of violent anti-government protests.

Haiti's capital has witnessed a growing number of violent protests in recent weeks during which demonstrators have called for the holding of elections and the resignation of Lamothe and Martelly.

Opposition groups accuse Martelly of returning Haiti to dictatorial rule after repeatedly delaying elections expected since 2011.

The elections have been postponed amid a rift between the government and a group of opposition senators over an electoral law. Opposition senators say the legislation is unconstitutional and favors the government while Lamothe and Martelly have blamed senators for blocking the vote.

Mid-term senate elections in the poor country had been due in May 2012 while the municipal poll is postponed for three years.

AR/NN
Source: PressTv