lo-de-alla.org

[Translation of an article from the Dominican/Haitian website Espacinsular.org for April 10. See original here and related articles here and here.]

Port-au-Prince, April 10 – Without a doubt, this is not the first time Dominican politicians and businessmen have financed electoral campaigns in foreign countries. The best known case in Dominican-Haitian relations is that of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo and Elie Lescot, whom the Dominican dictator managed to bribe, according to [Dominican historian] Bernardo Vega, from the time he was minister of the interior under President Stenio Vincent in 1932 until he helped him become president in May, 1941.

Even more recently, during the last two decades, both Haitian and Dominican candidates, as a result of their connections in social and business circles, have benefited from donations coming from sources on the other side of the island and from the diaspora of both countries. This applies as much to the presidential level as in legislative and municipal elections. (more…)

[Translation of an article from Haïti-Progrès for April 8. See original here.]

Late in the afternoon of Monday, April 4, a spokesman for the Conseil Électoral Provisoire (CEP – Provisional Electoral Council) finally announced the results of the legislative and presidential elections. Informed people were not surprised, particularly concerning the presidency. On Sunday, April 3, international press agencies had already announced the winner of the presidency. These preliminary results seem to be the definitive results foreseen for April 16. Remember that these controversial elections were organized mainly by the “international community,” the CEP having been discredited even before the results of the first round on December 7, which had thrown fuel on the flames. (more…)