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A smiling President Michel Martelly, wearing the red and blue symbol of transfer of power -- the presidential sash -- walked out of a temporary white parliament building smiling, and holding his wife’s right hand.
"Great, great, great," said Sophia Martelly, dressed in royal blue two-piece suit.
Moments earlier, her husband, musician-turned-politician Martelly was sworn in as this quake-ravaged nation's 56th president. He took the oath of office in darkness. As he was sitting down next to former President Rene Preval, the lights went out.
Bernardito Cleopas Auza, the Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Nuncio, said today is a good day for Haiti.
"Personally I'm very happy for Haiti, and I hope we can have some reconciliation," going forward.
"The new president has generated energy, optimism. There is really a lot of hope for this new mandate that we can see progress and finally projects of reconstruction taking place" Azua said.
Gracia Delva, another well-known Haitian musician who was recently elected to the chamber of deputies, agreed. “Martelly's campaign was rich with promises, and we hope he can realize them all," he told The Miami Herald.
In addition to Clinton, Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding also attended along with French, Brazil and Taiwanese delegations. The head of the U.N. Peacekeeping operations was also in attendance.
"To see a democratic transition from one former president to another president is a great achievement for Haiti," said Alain Le Roy, Under-Secretary-General of the UN Peacekeeping Operations.
He said "it was a great moment" for the United Nations as well.
Saturday's inauguration culminated months of uncertainty that saw the historic end of one president's mandate, and the beginning of another.
For months, many in Haiti and the international community were uncertain of how it would end.
During the Nov. 28 first round of elections, a dozen candidates, including Martelly stopped the vote mid-day, demanding cancellation amid allegations of "massive fraud."
The United Nations came under fire by those demanding cancellation. It was responsible for technical and logistical support.
It later took the lead in the international community to try and salvage the elections by demanding that Preval remove his candidate, former state construction chief Jude Celestin, from the race.
The two-month electorial crisis finally ended with a second round between Martelly and former first lady Mirlande Manigat. Martelly won with 67 percent of the vote.
But with most of the 4.3 million voters staying home, and his victory representing just 16 percent of the electorate, Martelly has his work cut out.
As he arrived on the grounds of the broken presidential palace, thousands outside the wrought iron green fence chanted. Earlier a small band of protesters took to the streets wearing green and white T-shirts, saying in Creole, "We fired them." The reference was to Preval's government.
"Great, great, great," said Sophia Martelly, dressed in royal blue two-piece suit.
Moments earlier, her husband, musician-turned-politician Martelly was sworn in as this quake-ravaged nation's 56th president. He took the oath of office in darkness. As he was sitting down next to former President Rene Preval, the lights went out.
Bernardito Cleopas Auza, the Roman Catholic Church's Apostolic Nuncio, said today is a good day for Haiti.
"Personally I'm very happy for Haiti, and I hope we can have some reconciliation," going forward.
"The new president has generated energy, optimism. There is really a lot of hope for this new mandate that we can see progress and finally projects of reconstruction taking place" Azua said.
Gracia Delva, another well-known Haitian musician who was recently elected to the chamber of deputies, agreed. “Martelly's campaign was rich with promises, and we hope he can realize them all," he told The Miami Herald.
In addition to Clinton, Jamaica Prime Minister Bruce Golding also attended along with French, Brazil and Taiwanese delegations. The head of the U.N. Peacekeeping operations was also in attendance.
"To see a democratic transition from one former president to another president is a great achievement for Haiti," said Alain Le Roy, Under-Secretary-General of the UN Peacekeeping Operations.
He said "it was a great moment" for the United Nations as well.
Saturday's inauguration culminated months of uncertainty that saw the historic end of one president's mandate, and the beginning of another.
For months, many in Haiti and the international community were uncertain of how it would end.
During the Nov. 28 first round of elections, a dozen candidates, including Martelly stopped the vote mid-day, demanding cancellation amid allegations of "massive fraud."
The United Nations came under fire by those demanding cancellation. It was responsible for technical and logistical support.
It later took the lead in the international community to try and salvage the elections by demanding that Preval remove his candidate, former state construction chief Jude Celestin, from the race.
The two-month electorial crisis finally ended with a second round between Martelly and former first lady Mirlande Manigat. Martelly won with 67 percent of the vote.
As he arrived on the grounds of the broken presidential palace, thousands outside the wrought iron green fence chanted. Earlier a small band of protesters took to the streets wearing green and white T-shirts, saying in Creole, "We fired them." The reference was to Preval's government.
Posted in: World News
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