Thousands of angry protesters demanded the resignation of President Michel Martelly on Thursday, clashing with supporters of the Haitian leader in the streets of Port-au-Prince. Protesters said two people suffered gunshot wounds after Martelly loyalists opened fire during skirmishes that lasted several hours in the capital.
The two sides hurled rocks at each other during the fighting, which brought parts of the city to a standstill and triggered huge traffic jams. Anti-Martelly demonstrators accused the Haitian president of cronyism, charging that he is ruling the impoverished Caribbean nation for the benefit of his friends and family.
"We're from the ghettos. We get nothing from the government which works only for the rich," protester Johnny Joseph shouted. The demonstrators had marched some 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) in blazing sunshine to central Port-au-Prince, chanting anti-government slogans along the route. They were dispersed by police after attempting to reach the Presidential Palace.
Comments
Comments are closed.