Haiti’s Ambassador to the United States, Raymond Joseph, said today that next week he will formally announce his candidacy for President in the Haitian national elections later this fall. In an interesting twist, some observers are predicting that Mr. Joseph will be running against his nephew, and world-famous performing artist, Wyclef Jean. Mr. Jean—a socially responsible celebrity as discussed with AQ—has been involved extensively in Haiti’s reconstruction and is rumored to be completing the paperwork required to run for public office and has until August 7 to complete the process.
In response to the possibility of Wyclef joining the race, Ambassador Joseph commented: “We are family. And we won’t allow politics to divide… No, I wouldn’t say running against, I would say running parallel.”
“I think he [Joseph] would be a strong contender,” “I’m not endorsing him, but I am saying that he does fit the profile of what many expect to see in the next round: someone able to engage the international community.” says Eduardo Gamarra, a political science professor at Florida International University who has extensive knowledge on Haitian affairs.
