The United Nations joined the United States and other major powers that had supported the election in denouncing the violence and calling for a negotiated solution that leads to a new vote.
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Celestin has complained of fraud and electoral rigging, and was quoted as saying that the first round was “an electoral coup”, and that Sunday’s vote would have not been “an election, but a selection because there is only one candidate”.
In the capital, Port-au-Prince, several thousand demonstrators cheered after hearing the vote would be postponed.
The protesters’ jubilant celebration lasted mere minutes after the election decision was announced and quickly gave way to clashes with the police, who closed downtown Port-au-Prince and had to fire gunshots in the air and use tear gas to disperse the crowd.
A new vote was set for January 24.
The former rebel, Guy Philippe, called for counter protests and said he would not recognize any transitional government put in place when outgoing President Michel Martelly leaves office on February 7 unless it was representative of the provinces. Motorists were forced to swerve around burnt tires, shattered glass and piles of rocks, but roadside eateries began to reopen.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern Saturday and called for Haiti’s presidential runoff election.
Ruling party candidate Jovenel Moise said he was mystified that electoral authorities would again postpone the run-off without immediately providing a new date.
There were no immediate details on when the vote might be held.
Haiti, a country of 10 million that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, held the first round of legislative elections on August 9, followed by the first round of presidential elections and second round of legislative polls on October 25.
“We are ready for war”, Philippe said.
After months of political upheaval that started with violence and ballot stuffing in an August vote for lawmakers, some Haitians see the delay as a recipe for more uncertainty and prefer to push ahead.
“It seems like politicians want to drag the Haitian people backward”, said Karine Fenelon, as she picked out oranges at a roadside fruit stall.
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“All of these so-called friends of Haiti are stopping us from moving forward”, mechanic Patrick Augustin said.
