- Title: HAITI: Campaigning intensifies ahead of the presidential run-off election
- Date: 4th March 2011
- Summary: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (MARCH 3, 2011) (REUTERS) GENERAL VIEW OF PORT-AU-PRINCE PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (MARCH 2, 2011) (REUTERS) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MIRLANDE MANIGAT INTERACTING WITH SUPPORTERS IN THE CARREFOUR MUNICIPALITY CROWD OF MANIGAT SUPPORTERS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MIRLANDE MANIGAT WAVING AT SUPPORTERS IN THE CARREFOUR MUNICIPALITY VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAVING SIGNS IN SUPPORT OF MANIGAT PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (MARCH 3, 2011) (REUTERS) PHOTOGRAPHER AT THE HOTEL MONTANA, FOR THE MANIGAT NEWS CONFERENCE MANIGAT AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Creole) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MIRLANDE MANIGAT, SAYING: "I believe that once elected -if the population accepts that a woman governs the country- and once in power (the people) will see that gender has nothing to do with competence and determination and courage, and I'm ready to demonstrate it." GENERAL VIEW OF PORT-AU-PRINCE PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (MARCH 2, 2011) (REUTERS) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MICHEL MARTELLY AT HOTEL OLOFFSON JOURNALISTS WAITING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE TO START (SOUNDBITE) (Creole) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MICHEL MARTELLY, SAYING: "Our campaign is based on the motivation of youth, and on the motivation on the Haitian people, of the farmers, merchants and entrepreneurs, so that they understand that we need a country that has order, and that is what we are doing. And we are not interested, really, in what the other candidate (Manigat) says. It is true that we never will win 100 percent of the voles, but we will get 80 percent, and the 20 percent that she obtains, will do nothing." CROWD WAVING SIGNS FOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES.
- Embargoed: 19th March 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Haiti, Haiti
- Country: Haiti
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA814RD1514FQV1189ZZ77LIJIL
- Story Text: As campaigning intensifies ahead of Hait's presidential run-off election, one candidate said on Thursday (March 3) that she believes Haiti is ready for its first female democratically-elected president.
"I believe that once elected -if the population accepts that a woman governs the country- and once in power (the people) will see that gender has nothing to do with competence and determination and courage, and I'm ready to demonstrate it," former first lady Mirlande Manigat said in a news conference.
Seventy-year-old Manigat faces musician Michel "Sweet Mickey" Martelly who predicted a landslide win during the March 20 run-off.
"Our campaign is based on the motivation of youth, and on the motivation on the Haitian people, of the farmers, merchants and entrepreneurs, so that they understand that we need a country that has order, and that is what we are doing. And we are not interested, really, in what the other candidate (Manigat) says. It is true that we never will win 100 percent of the voles, but we will get 80 percent, and the 20 percent that she obtains, will do nothing," Martelly said at a news conference on Wednesday (March 2).
Manigat emerged as a front-runner in the November 28 election in the volatile, earthquake-ravaged Caribbean country. The poll was widely criticized as chaotic and fraudulent.
Martelly took the second-place in the run-off after international bodies and foreign countries pressured Haiti's electoral council to replace President Rene Preval's hand-picked successor Jude Celestin amid criticism of fraud.
The election also drew controversy over the fact that former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas political party was barred from running a candidate in the poll.
Haiti's next president faces the difficult job of rebuilding after last year's devastating earthquake. Even before the 2010 tragedy, Haiti was the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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