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Haiti's President Survives Impeachment Vote

Sandra Lemaire

   Matiado Vilme in Port-au-Prince contributed to this report
   WASHINGTON/PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI - Haiti's President Jovenel Moise has
   survived an impeachment vote in parliament, ending a weekslong push by
   opposition parties to unseat him over corruption and other criminal
   allegations.

   In a marathon session that began late Wednesday and ended in the early
   hours of Thursday, the president survived when 53 of the 61 lawmakers
   present voted the impeachment mesure down. Three deputies who were
   present voted for impeachment, and five others abstained. The remaining
   58 lawmakers out of the 119-member body were not present, however the
   vote proceeded according to the country's parliamentary system.

   The president has not yet publicly commented on the decision.

   Opposition deputies have accused Moise of numerous constitutional
   violations. Among them -- naming unqualified citizens to cabinet
   positions and signing contracts with foreign companies not approved by
   the government institution that oversees such matters.

   The opposition's insistence on prioritizing the impeachment vote before
   dealing with any other matters before the chamber held up a vote on the
   nominated prime minister, Fritz William Michel. Haiti has been without
   a prime minister since March, when Jean Henry Ceant was forced to
   resign after a no confidence vote.

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