Haitian Government Faces Mounting Popular Anger

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Inter Press Service

Haitian Government Faces Mounting Popular Anger
Mon, 1 Oct 2012 20:06 GMT
Source: Content partner // Inter Press Service

Several thousand marchers demonstrated against Haitian President Michel Martelly on Sunday, the anniversary of a bloody coup d'état that toppled president Jean-Bertrand Aristide 21 years ago.

With posters and slogans denouncing the rising cost of living, the government's authoritarianism and corruption, and also calling for Martelly to step down, demonstrators made their way to the ruins of the National Palace, crushed in the devastating earthquake of Jan. 12, 2010.

"One way or the other, he's got to go!" was one of the many slogans shouted by demonstrators, whose ranks included hundreds of supporters of Aristide's Lavalas Family party, as well as people from parties and groups who once marched in the streets against the popular former priest and president.

Aristide was ousted in 2004 with support of these same political groups, and also in a coup d'état in 1991 that resulted in a brutal three-year military regime. Both efforts had overt and covert support from Washington.


Read more: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/haitian-government-faces-mounting-popular-anger

[Ken Burch]

1. If the revolt grows, the U.S. has a moral obligation to stay out of it.

It would be unforgiveable to save Martelly, who only holds power due to a rigged election in which only right-wing candidates tied to the creole economic elite were allowed to run.