During a meeting of the executive of the platform INITE, last Friday, the possible withdrawal of the government candidate Jude Célestin from the second round was mentioned, has confirmed Sen. Joseph Lambert, who added "It was decided that the electoral law is applied and that the contentious phase leads to a verdict of the electoral tribunal". The minutes of this meeting was transmitted to President René Préval, leader of platform INITE.

If some may seein this evocation a possible "acceptance" by the INITE platform of the "defeat" of Jude Célestin from the second round in favor of Martelly, it is too early to conclude. INITE knows very well that victory does not just mean the election of a presidential candidate. At least two reasons may have led INIT to rely on the electoral verdict of the electoral tribunal:

1- INITE remains convinced that after the phase of litigation, Jude Célestin will continue in the second round.

2- INITE knows that Jude Célestin will not pass to the second round (whatever reasons), but accepts it in the perspective where INITE may hold the control of the Lower House (Deputies) and upper house (Senators).

It is important to remember that the mission of experts from the Organization of American States (OAS), was limited exclusively to audits the tabulation of the presidential vote ignoring the dimension of legislative elections, the indispensable key to the governance of the country...

If INITE, obtains a majority of both chambers (directly or by alliance), the question to ask, is more about who will be the next President, but who will be the members of the government ? [members of government must be approved by the Houses]. In such a situation, how long the newly elected he will succeed to stay in power before being defeated... and that the country falling back into elections...?

Hope that this catastrophic scenario, does not become a reality and make the country ungovernable, which would mean a return to square one with all the socio-economic consequences that this would cause to the country.

About international pressure, Joseph Lambert admits that they are taken seriously. Regarding the removal of U.S. visas, Senator Lambert confirmed that several members of the platform INITE are concerned, but it minimizes the scope, indicating that these suppressions of visas do not impress the people involved.

HL/ HaitiLibre