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U.S. Cuts Off Financial Assistance to Haiti During Election Crisis

US State Department's John Kirby (Photo via Biz Pac Review)

U.S. State Department’s John Kirby (Photo via Biz Pac Review)

The United States has decided to suspend financial assistance to Haiti’s electoral officials as they redo a presidential vote marred by fraud.

U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters Thursday that the decision did not “signal a reduction of our support for the Haitian people.” He said Washington simply did not plan on spending additional taxpayer money for two additional electoral rounds in Haiti.

The U.S. contributed $33 million for Haiti’s electoral cycle that started last year. But earlier this year, electoral officials announced that a new presidential election would have to be held in October because fraud marred last year’s voting.

Meanwhile, Haiti’s fragmented Parliament is continuing to block a vote on the latest leadership disorder in the troubled country.

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