Wyclef Jean files election papers for Haiti presidency
Hip hop star Wyclef Jean spoke about his presidential ambitions in his native Haiti
Hip hop star Wyclef Jean has formally registered to stand for president of his native Haiti as it rebuilds after the devastating January earthquake.
Dozens of supporters greeted him as he arrived with his wife and daughter at an electoral council office in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The deadline to file candidacy papers for the 28 November poll is Saturday.
Mr Jean, who lives in New York, has said the quake motivated him to stand for the presidency.
If he wins, he will preside over the spending of billions of dollars in international aid for reconstruction.
Other declared candidates include former diplomat Garaudy Laguerre and Raymond Joseph, who is Haiti’s current ambassador to the US and Mr Jean’s uncle.
The sitting President, Rene Preval, is barred by the constitution from seeking a new term.
Mr Jean is hugely popular in Haiti where half of the population is under 21.
He told Time magazine in an interview that his secret weapon in the election campaign would be that Haiti’s “enormous youth population doesn’t believe in politicians any more”.
“If not for the earthquake, I probably would have waited another 10 years before doing this,” Mr Jean added.
Mr Jean is Haiti’s ambassador-at-large, and has played a prominent role in securing aid since the earthquake, which left 1.5 million people homeless.
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