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Haiti crisis: Anti-Martelly protest turns violent | Haiti crisis: Anti-Martelly protest turns violent |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Hundreds of people in Haiti have marched through Port-au-Prince, demanding the resignation of President Michel Martelly. | Hundreds of people in Haiti have marched through Port-au-Prince, demanding the resignation of President Michel Martelly. |
The protest turned violent as police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. | The protest turned violent as police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. |
Protesters threw stones at police and burned tyres in the streets of the capital. | Protesters threw stones at police and burned tyres in the streets of the capital. |
They are angry at Mr Martelly's reluctance to call legislative and local elections, which were due to have been held in 2011. | They are angry at Mr Martelly's reluctance to call legislative and local elections, which were due to have been held in 2011. |
Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe resigned on Sunday following weeks of protests, but the opposition insists that President Martelly should go too. | |
Earlier US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Haiti to hold elections as soon as possible in order to put an end to the crisis. | Earlier US Secretary of State John Kerry called on Haiti to hold elections as soon as possible in order to put an end to the crisis. |
"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," Mr Kerry said. | "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," Mr Kerry said. |
Devastating earthquake | Devastating earthquake |
Mr Martelly was to have called polls in 2011, but they were postponed in a stalemate over an electoral law. | |
Opposition politicians accuse Mr Martelly of wanting to rule by decree and that legislation that would authorise the vote unfairly favours the government. | Opposition politicians accuse Mr Martelly of wanting to rule by decree and that legislation that would authorise the vote unfairly favours the government. |
The current parliament's mandate expires on 12 January. Unless a new parliament is elected by then, the president will be allowed to rule by decree. | The current parliament's mandate expires on 12 January. Unless a new parliament is elected by then, the president will be allowed to rule by decree. |
The government argues that opposition politicians are dragging their feet in the hope of extending their time in office without elections. | The government argues that opposition politicians are dragging their feet in the hope of extending their time in office without elections. |
Haiti was devastated by an earthquake in January 2010. | Haiti was devastated by an earthquake in January 2010. |
Much of the capital has been rebuilt, but the country is still struggling to recover from the tragedy. | Much of the capital has been rebuilt, but the country is still struggling to recover from the tragedy. |
Mr Kerry said that "too much progress has been made since the earthquake to risk going backwards now". | Mr Kerry said that "too much progress has been made since the earthquake to risk going backwards now". |
Mr Martelly, a former pop star, was elected in May 2011 with 68% of the vote and strong support from younger voters. | Mr Martelly, a former pop star, was elected in May 2011 with 68% of the vote and strong support from younger voters. |
However, he has faced protests calling for his resignation since 2012. | However, he has faced protests calling for his resignation since 2012. |
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