It is "critical" that Haiti hold a delayed vote and strengthen the rule of law and human rights, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told President Jovenel Moise on Sunday at a meeting after the inauguration of Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader.
Haiti has been without a parliament since January after missing a deadline to hold legislative elections. President Jovenel Moise has yet to set a date for new elections.
"It is critical that Haiti schedule its overdue legislative elections, form an inclusive (electoral council), and strengthen rule of law and support for human rights. These are key elements of the democratic process," Pompeo said in a tweet after the meeting.
"Like me, our American partners believe that elections remains the ideal way for democracy to survive," Jovenel Moise tweeted.
On Friday, Acting Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Michael Kozak told reporters that although Washington recognized that there were difficulties in organizing elections in Haiti, the president should move ahead with laying groundwork.
"We're trying to build a little bit of a fire there," Michael Kozak said. "If you're going to have a democracy, that means all three branches of the democracy need to be in place. It can't just be one or two."
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