Police in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince fired tear gas at opposition demonstrators Tuesday who rallied in their thousands, five days before a presidential vote runoff is scheduled.
The poorest country in the Americas has been on edge for months after legislative and presidential elections that the opposition branded a fix and that were marred by violence.
Demonstrators in Port-au-Prince set fire to tires and threw stones, and police responded with tear gas, managing to disperse most of the several thousand protesters.
The opposition, which has staged regular protests, accuses outgoing President Michel Martelly of instigating an "electoral coup."
In the first round of the presidential election in October, Jovenel Moise, the government candidate, had 32.8 percent of the vote against 25.3 percent for Jude Celestin.
Celestin said he had been cheated, branded the outcome "a farce" and told AFP on Monday that he will not take part in Sunday's runoff.
Separately, the United States offered its support for the troubled electoral process.
The State Department argued that Haiti's government has made "numerous concessions" to try to secure Celestin's participation in the vote and could wait no longer.
The vote is the latest attempt to restore stability in one of the most unstable countries in the Americas.
Since the end of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986, Haiti has been jolted by coups and contested elections that have further undermined the fragile economy. The country is also still trying to get back on its feet after a devastating 2010 earthquake.
Police in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince fired tear gas at opposition demonstrators Tuesday who rallied in their thousands, five days before a presidential vote runoff is scheduled.
The poorest country in the Americas has been on edge for months after legislative and presidential elections that the opposition branded a fix and that were marred by violence.
Demonstrators in Port-au-Prince set fire to tires and threw stones, and police responded with tear gas, managing to disperse most of the several thousand protesters.
The opposition, which has staged regular protests, accuses outgoing President Michel Martelly of instigating an “electoral coup.”
In the first round of the presidential election in October, Jovenel Moise, the government candidate, had 32.8 percent of the vote against 25.3 percent for Jude Celestin.
Celestin said he had been cheated, branded the outcome “a farce” and told AFP on Monday that he will not take part in Sunday’s runoff.
Separately, the United States offered its support for the troubled electoral process.
The State Department argued that Haiti’s government has made “numerous concessions” to try to secure Celestin’s participation in the vote and could wait no longer.
The vote is the latest attempt to restore stability in one of the most unstable countries in the Americas.
Since the end of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986, Haiti has been jolted by coups and contested elections that have further undermined the fragile economy. The country is also still trying to get back on its feet after a devastating 2010 earthquake.
