COVID-19 forces Haiti to postpone June 27 constitutional referendum

Haiti on Monday postponed a constitutional referendum scheduled for June 27 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but did not give a new date for the vote in the latest twist in its political crisis.

President Jovenel Moïse has been governing Haiti, by decree after legislative elections due in 2018 were delayed and following disputes on when his own term ends.

In addition to presidential, legislative and local elections in September, Moïse had wanted to submit a new draft of the island-nation’s constitution to a popular vote on June 27.

Last month he had vowed to go ahead despite criticism that the process is not “inclusive, participatory or transparent” enough in a country plagued by political insecurity and criminal gangs.

But on Monday an official statement said the decision to postpone was motivated by “difficulties” the electoral council faced as it tries “to assemble and train all the temporary staff for the realization of the poll” in the face of the pandemic.

A new date would be set “after the recommendations of the health authorities and the technical advice of the executives of the electoral institution,” it said.

On May 24 Haiti declared a state of health emergency due to the increase in cases of COVID-19.

But organizing the vote had already appeared complicated thanks to growing insecurity.

Moïse, who faces anger and demands he resign amid the government’s failure to reign in criminal violence, is on his sixth prime minister in 4 years.

In addition to the political crisis, kidnappings for ransom have surged in recent months, further reflecting the growing influence of armed gangs in the Caribbean nation.

It also faces chronic poverty and recurrent natural disasters. -(CMC)