Haiti Cancels Presidential Election for Fourth Time in a Year

Haiti's electoral council said on Wednesday it had postponed, for the fourth time, the country's presidential election – in this case, due to the battering the island nation received from Hurricane Matthew.

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The decision to postpone the Oct. 9 election was made after authorities reported that nearly 15,000 Haitians had been displaced in the aftermath of the hurricane that killed at least 10 people, left dozens injured and so far, an unknown number missing.

Elections officials Wednesday did not set a new date.

The impoverished Caribbean nation has been in political turmoil since October of last year when questions surfaced about the validity of a first-round presidential ballot. The poll was overturned after losing candidates complained.

The political crisis has been marked by violent protests and increasing insecurity, especially in big cities like the capital, Port-au-Prince.

According to analysts, the situation has begun to deepen the grim economic and social conditions of Haiti's poorest, who represent a majority of the population.

The country had not yet fully recovered from a devastating 2010 earthquake and the infrastructure remains weak. Moreover, there remains the threat of complications like cholera outbreaks or other health crises which have often followed natural disasters on the island.