Recall that on Friday at the National Palace at the invitation of the President of the Republic, a meeting was held with the 9 advisers of the Provisional Electoral Council, with President Martelly and Prime Minister Lamothe. This meeting of nearly 2 hours, which was of "courtesy", the first since the CEP is complete, focused among others on the amendment of the electoral law, the electoral calendar, budget and the Agreement El Rancho.

Faced with the concern of the Government for the organization of elections on 26 October, the CEP had agreed after the meeting, to send Monday morning a letter to the Head of State to secure the Council's position on the possibility or not to hold elections on October 26.

Monday in a letter sent to Head of State, the CEP informs that due to the lack of legal framework (blocking of the ratification of amendments to the Electoral Law in the Senate for more than 4 months) and despite the presidential decree convening the people to elections October 26, 2014, the latter can not take place on that date, without however setting a new date.

Following the decision of the CEP, Monday evening President Michel Martelly and several members of the executive met in emergency with the Presidents of both Houses of Parliament, Ambassador of the United States, the Deputy Secretary General OAS and a representative of the Minustah. At the center of discussions the possibility of applying Article 12 of the Agreement of El Rancho, to bypass the blockage of the Senate, article that states "In cases where amendments to the electoral law planned and proposed in the framework of the dialogue are not passed by the two branches of Parliament within the period prescribed in section eight (8) of this Agreement, Parties note with the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) the physical impossibility of applying Articles referred. Consequently, the Parties agree that the said articles automatically enter into hold and the electoral body is allowed to override. Consequently, the Parties agree that the said articles are automatically in hold and the electoral body is allowed to override." There was also discussed of Article 19.1 of the Election Law of 2013, in force which states that "The Permanent Electoral Council determines the positions to be filled and decide on the dates of opening and closing of the electoral campaign."

Visibly, the 6 Senators of the opposition exceeded the red line and the Government intends to end this deadlock that takes the country in hostage.

Text of the Agreement El Rancho :

https://www.haitilibre.com/article-10763-haiti-politique-le-core-group-salue-l-accord-inter-haitien-texte-integral-de-l-accord.html (in french)

SL / HaitiLibre