Haiti Electoral Council Chief Vows to Hold Elections Despite Setbacks

Haiti will hold elections this year despite setbacks, Provisional Electoral Council (KEP) President Guirlande Mesadieu told VOA Creole.  

"We will hold elections. We will hold a referendum," Mesadieu said. She admitted that the current September 26 date may have to be pushed back.   Despite some political groups' attempts to pressure the KEP to put election plans on hold after President Jovenel Moise's assassination in July, Mesadieu said the council is determined to respect the presidential decree, which called for a referendum and general elections this year.   "We, as members of the electoral council, would be acting irresponsibly if we were to decide unilaterally to hold a referendum but not general elections, or general elections and not a referendum. So, everything in the (presidential) decree is what we are focused on," she told VOA.