HAITI ELECTIONS: EMBASSY TURNS OFF NATIONALITY

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/13/2011
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM HA
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTIONS: EMBASSY TURNS OFF NATIONALITY
COMMISSION FOR NOW

REF: A. 05 PAP 2690

B. PAP 459

Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson for reasons 1.4(b).


1. (C) Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) President Max
Mathurin told Charge on March 9 that "the executive" had
prepared a letter from the nationality committee, an ad hoc
group of cabinet members convened to prevent candidates
holding foreign citizenship to run for office (ref A),
requesting that the CEP remove two senatorial and three
deputy candidates from the ballot because of their dual
citizenship. The Charge expressed grave concerns that any
further CEP action to remove candidates on the basis of dual
nationality could re-open a legal battle and further delay
the second round. Mathurin, however, seemed willing to
consider the request and unworried about the consequences.
(Note: Mathurin confirmed that the letter included Rudy
Boulos, the leading vote-getter for senator from the
Northwest. Boulos acquired Haitian and American citizenship
at birth, and is prepared to argue that he never committed an
expatriating act by naturalizing or otherwise renouncing his
Haitian citizenship. His removal and inevitable challenge
would have further complicated the legal morass that
surrounds the issue).


2. (C) The Charge subsequently contacted Prime Minister
Latortue, who claimed to have no knowledge of such a letter,
and that the nationality commission had completed its work
with the removal of Dumarsais Simeus and Samir Mourra from
the presidential race. Following up with Canadian
Ambassador Claude Bouchard, who was accompanying the PM in
Canada and Interior Minister Paul Magloire, Charge discovered
on March 13 that Justice Minister Dorleans had drafted a
letter to the CEP. The PM and Magloire assured Bouchard and
the Charge that the letter would not go forward.


3. (C) Comment. This incident is the latest in a long list
of examples of cabinet indiscipline and an exasperating lack
of judgment on the part of key Haitian officials. We were
fortunate to have learned of this issue in time to head off
potentially serious consequences, but the incident serves as
a reminder that we must monitor every step of the IGOH and
the CEP as they stagger toward the completion of the
transition process. Dorleans had now placed himself at the
center of two contentious issues -- his denunciation the
previous week of the police agreement signed by the PM and
the UN (ref B) had already effectively ruined his
relationship with the PM -- and his actions merit particular
scrutiny.
SANDERSON