From popular carnival singer known for dropping his pants on stage to buttoned-down president of Haiti, Michel “Sweet Micky” Martelly is on the verge of completing an unlikely transformation.
In a landslide victory, Mr. Martelly captured two-thirds of the vote in a run-off presidential election, according to preliminary results released Monday evening by Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council.
Port-au-Prince was marked by celebrations following the announcement, as supporters launched fireworks, shot guns into the air, and played Martelly’s songs on their radios, news media reported.
His opponent, former First Lady Mirlande Manigat, can challenge the results, the release of which was delayed several days because of fraud. But it appears unlikely that she could close the 36-point gap, having taken 31.74 percent of the vote to Martelly’s 67.57 percent. The final results will be announced April 16.
Full Story: How ‘Sweet Micky’ Martelly transformed from carnival singer to Haiti president