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| Jovenel Moïse Is Elected President of Haiti After Delays and Disasters | Jovenel Moïse Is Elected President of Haiti After Delays and Disasters |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| MIAMI — He’s often called the “Banana Man” because he exports produce. Now, he will be known by another title: president of Haiti. | MIAMI — He’s often called the “Banana Man” because he exports produce. Now, he will be known by another title: president of Haiti. |
| Jovenel Moïse, 48, rose from obscurity to win the country’s presidential elections this week, after a nearly two-year electoral process marred by fraud, delays, natural disasters and a staggeringly low voter turnout. | Jovenel Moïse, 48, rose from obscurity to win the country’s presidential elections this week, after a nearly two-year electoral process marred by fraud, delays, natural disasters and a staggeringly low voter turnout. |
| Mr. Moïse received 55 percent of the votes in a field of 27 candidates, Haiti’s electoral council said Monday night. But some of his opponents are vowing to contest the results, which will not be verified until late December. | Mr. Moïse received 55 percent of the votes in a field of 27 candidates, Haiti’s electoral council said Monday night. But some of his opponents are vowing to contest the results, which will not be verified until late December. |
| It will fall to Mr. Moïse to heal and govern a bitterly divided nation that is struggling to rebuild after a 2010 earthquake, and that was battered again this year by a catastrophic hurricane. | It will fall to Mr. Moïse to heal and govern a bitterly divided nation that is struggling to rebuild after a 2010 earthquake, and that was battered again this year by a catastrophic hurricane. |
| At first, many Haitians viewed Mr. Moïse guardedly; he was former President Michel Martelly’s handpicked successor, and few people had heard of him. | At first, many Haitians viewed Mr. Moïse guardedly; he was former President Michel Martelly’s handpicked successor, and few people had heard of him. |
| Mr. Moïse won the first round of the election in October 2015. But the second round was delayed after candidates complained of widespread fraud, including large amounts of repeat voting by election monitors tied to various political parties. | Mr. Moïse won the first round of the election in October 2015. But the second round was delayed after candidates complained of widespread fraud, including large amounts of repeat voting by election monitors tied to various political parties. |
| The runoff was delayed several times, and a commission eventually decided that the election needed to be started over. With Mr. Moïse’s benefactor, Mr. Martelly, out of office and a provisional government in place for nearly a year, only about 21 percent of the electorate ended up casting ballots in the election on Nov. 20. | The runoff was delayed several times, and a commission eventually decided that the election needed to be started over. With Mr. Moïse’s benefactor, Mr. Martelly, out of office and a provisional government in place for nearly a year, only about 21 percent of the electorate ended up casting ballots in the election on Nov. 20. |
| Mr. Moïse’s adviser, Damian Merlo, argued that Mr. Moïse’s election should be considered a “landslide” and a “mandate.” | |
| Low turnout has been attributed to people tiring of politics and to the continuing effects of the October hurricane that devastated several rural towns. | Low turnout has been attributed to people tiring of politics and to the continuing effects of the October hurricane that devastated several rural towns. |
| “When I was doing my polling, it showed people were just fed up with this process,” Mr. Merlo said, adding that the sentiment among many voters was, “Elections? I don’t care anymore.” | “When I was doing my polling, it showed people were just fed up with this process,” Mr. Merlo said, adding that the sentiment among many voters was, “Elections? I don’t care anymore.” |
| In an interview this year, Mr. Moïse shrugged off the notion that he was a virtual unknown before entering the presidential race, noting that he had been president of the chamber of commerce in the northwestern region of the country for eight years. He grew up on a large sugar plantation, he said, adding that he could relate to a vast majority of Haitians who live off the land. | In an interview this year, Mr. Moïse shrugged off the notion that he was a virtual unknown before entering the presidential race, noting that he had been president of the chamber of commerce in the northwestern region of the country for eight years. He grew up on a large sugar plantation, he said, adding that he could relate to a vast majority of Haitians who live off the land. |
| A father of three, he was raised in a rural area in the country’s north but attended school in the capital, Port-au-Prince, he said. He said he had learned the keys to success by watching his father’s profitable farming business. | A father of three, he was raised in a rural area in the country’s north but attended school in the capital, Port-au-Prince, he said. He said he had learned the keys to success by watching his father’s profitable farming business. |
| The joint banana exporting venture Mr. Moïse operates, thanks to a government loan he received from the Martelly administration, was the product of a childhood dream, he said. | The joint banana exporting venture Mr. Moïse operates, thanks to a government loan he received from the Martelly administration, was the product of a childhood dream, he said. |
| “Since I was a child, I was always wondering why people were living in such conditions while enormous lands were empty,” he said. “I believe agriculture is the key of change for this country.” | “Since I was a child, I was always wondering why people were living in such conditions while enormous lands were empty,” he said. “I believe agriculture is the key of change for this country.” |
| Jake Johnston, a research associate for the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, observed the Nov. 20 elections and said that he had generally been impressed with how much the process had improved over last year. | Jake Johnston, a research associate for the Center for Economic and Policy Research in Washington, observed the Nov. 20 elections and said that he had generally been impressed with how much the process had improved over last year. |
| In each election, he said, fewer and fewer Haitians have shown interest in the candidates. In 2000, nearly 70 percent of voters cast ballots; now just over 20 percent do. | In each election, he said, fewer and fewer Haitians have shown interest in the candidates. In 2000, nearly 70 percent of voters cast ballots; now just over 20 percent do. |
| “This isn’t just the hurricane,” Mr. Johnston said. “This has been going on for six years. What caused that break and how to fix it is a big question for all political leaders.” | “This isn’t just the hurricane,” Mr. Johnston said. “This has been going on for six years. What caused that break and how to fix it is a big question for all political leaders.” |
| The delays helped Mr. Moïse, Mr. Johnston said, because he was able to establish his name recognition by campaigning on his own, without being seen as Mr. Martelly’s surrogate. | The delays helped Mr. Moïse, Mr. Johnston said, because he was able to establish his name recognition by campaigning on his own, without being seen as Mr. Martelly’s surrogate. |
| “I’m a hard worker,” Mr. Moïse said in the interview. “You’ll see an impact in just six months.” | “I’m a hard worker,” Mr. Moïse said in the interview. “You’ll see an impact in just six months.” |