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Haiti Carnival Tragedy Ends Would-Be Distraction From Fuel Prices, Political Woes

Published February 18, 2015 at 12:20 PM CST
Haitian President Michel Martelly places a candle with First Lady Sophia Martelly and Prime Minister of Haiti, Evans Paul, at the site of an accident during the march convened by the government in Port-au-Prince on February 17, 2015, in memory of the victims who died during celebrations in the National Carnival of Haiti. (Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images)
Haitian President Michel Martelly places a candle with First Lady Sophia Martelly and Prime Minister of Haiti, Evans Paul, at the site of an accident during the march convened by the government in Port-au-Prince on February 17, 2015, in memory of the victims who died during celebrations in the National Carnival of Haiti. (Hector Retamal/AFP/Getty Images)

Haiti is in mourning today after at least 16 people were killed and scores injured when an electrocution and stampede ended Carnival in Haiti yesterday.

It was a terrible end to what was supposed to be a reprieve from an ugly start to 2015. The country began the year without a prime minister, and parliament was effectively dissolved soon after.

Then, in the days leading up to Carnival, cities around Haiti were paralyzed by protests and strikes against high fuel prices.

Haitian-born political consultant Jocelyn Mccalla joins Here & Now’s Meghna Chakrabarti with details.

Guest

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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