Statement of the United States on the Final Results of the Second Round of the Elections in Haiti

22 April 2011
2011/17

The United States shares the concern referenced by the Organization of American States (OAS)/CARICOM Joint Electoral Observation Mission (JEOM) regarding the reports and allegations of fraud surrounding the final results announced by the Conseil Electoral Provisoire (CEP) for the March 20 second-round legislative elections as a result of the contestation process.

After reviewing the results and materials provided by the CEP, United Nations, and international observers, we have found no explanation for the reversals of 18 legislative races in the final results, which in all except two cases benefited the incumbent party. These reversals include, among other changes, a candidate from the Lavni party who placed second in the preliminary announced results that the CEP's final results now place first, with total votes cast in the race increasing bymore than 33,000 votes casts from 111,575 votes in the preliminary results to more 145,000 votes; and, two candidates from the incumbent party who placed second in the preliminary announced results, and for whom their CEP's final results double their preliminary vote total, one of whose new vote total exceeds the total number of votes cast in his district for all candidates. [The attached spreadsheet lays out the facts in the reversals that occurred.]

 

As a partner invited by the Haitian Government to support and participate in the electoral process, the United States calls upon the Government of Haiti and the CEP to provide a thorough, public explanation for the reversals in these 18 races. The United States also calls upon the JEOM to observe the documentation supporting the CEP’s final announced results for these 18 races to increase transparency so that the people of Haiti can be assured of their fairness.  The Haitian people, who have participated with great patience in the two rounds of elections, deserve nothing less.  Without a public explanation and review by the JEOM, the legitimacy of seating these candidates is in question.

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