Things are Heating Up

The Haitian Presidential election results were announced last night around 9pm. A friend texted me with the results from the radio. No one had more than 50% of the votes, so there will be a run-off vote January 16th. The top two candidates were Mirlande Manigat with 31% of the votes and Jude Celestin with 22%. Sweet Micky, a popular singer, had 21% of the votes.

The people are FURIOUS that Jude Celestin is in the run-off election and Sweet Micky is out. There's been a lot of dezòd in Haiti. Protesters set Jude Celestin's political headquarters on fire, and manifestations (similar to riots) have popped up all over the country. There was even a big group of people that marched to Preval's house to let him know they don't like what's going on. Preval is the current president, and it just so happens that the candidate who is engaged to his daughter is in the run-off when it's hard to find anyone who actually voted for the man. Tires have been burning all day. Trees have been cut down and placed in the street. And even here in my neighborhood there's been some ruckus.

When there are manifestations in Port au Prince and it's not exactly safe to go there, people say the city is hot. A text I received this morning said school was canceled because the city was HOT, HOT, HOT. The teachers and principal who live there wouldn't be able to leave their homes, so school was out of the question.

Pray for the people of Haiti, that they will find constructive ways to express their frustration with the corruption of their government and that they will seek change through nonviolent means.