Sporadic violence mars Haiti legislative elections

(Vatican Radio) Haiti's long awaited legislative elections have seen confusion, lack of coordination and sporadic violence. Nationwide, dozens of polling stations were suspended due to administrative bungling, intimidation or violence. Yet Haitian Authorities claim that appreciably less than 100 cemters were affected out of fifteen hundred. 

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Leaders appealed for calm and respect for the voting process, yet President Michel Martelly himself said that he hopes the Presidential Election this October in which he himself can't again seek office, will be better organized.  Many complained that their names didn't appear on the ballots. Others wearied of standing in queues for hours in the broiling sun. 

These are the first legislative elections since 2011.  119 Deputies and 20 Senators are being chosen from a bewildering array of more than 1,800 Candidates. Yet although 5.8 million people are eligible to vote, only 15 percent or less have exercised this hard won right.
More than 7,000 Pólice were deployed to try and insure fair political play. They've only been partically successful.