SENATOR BENOIT REACTS TO MARTELLY TIRADE AT PM'S RESIDENCE
(Defend Haiti) -
PORT-AU-PRINCE- Senator Steven Benoit (Ouest/Alternative) held a press conference Thursday and reacted to the tirade of President Michel Martelly the evening prior at the prime minister's residence where, although not present, he was referred to by the president.
Senator Benoit says that he fears that Martelly supporters are threatening his life. He added that the current president is conducting a smear campaign against him, believing that the senator is involved in a plot to overthrow him.
Senator Steven Benoit, in personal conflict with President Martelly, announced on Thursday that he was withdrawing from the Senate committee to investigate the nationality of the head of state and government members.
The West Senator has made these statements during a press conference on the dispute which took place on Wednesday between President Martelly and some parliamentarians. Mr. Benoit has confirmed the facts and said the head of state accused him of wanting to remove him and to take his place.
The MP criticized the way the president broke into the house of the Prime Minister and disrupted the meeting that took place between Garry Conille and some Parliamentarians.
"The president disrupted the meeting and started saying some very abusive, salacious remarks to parliamentarians. The president personally insulted me with unprecedented violence. Why this fierce hatred against me"? wondered Steven Benoit.
Perhaps, he thinks, it is because the president asked me to support him during his election campaign and I denied. "I chose to remain neutral. Maybe my neutrality comes against me today," said the former Member of Petion-ville.
However, when the president was elected, said Mr. Benoit, I gave him my public support. "Although I did not support him, I expressed the wish to see him fulfill his 5 year term, because I'm afraid of socio-political crises in the country."
The senator said he supported the president as long as he does what is right. "As a regulator, it is my duty to propose legislation, to control, and as part of my duties, I began to denounce such things as the falsification of the constitutional amendment of Article 134.1, that had granted two consecutive terms to the President of the Republic. "
The Senator continuesd "Once I denounced it, some friends of the president told that him that I was the one who prevented the president from fulfilling two consecutive terms. "
Since then, reveals Benoit, whenever President Martelly holds a meeting with parliamentarians, it is an opportunity for him to speak ill or to insult me.
"Today the president has gone too far, and if now he is trying to intimidate me, I let him know that he has failed."
The Senator strongly denounces acts of delinquency by Michel Martelly to harm his reputation. "The President associates my name with drugs, homosexuality, he’s leading a smear campaign against me with the support of his friends, notably Roro Nelson".
"The president has insulted the mothers of all the senators present at Wednesday's meeting at the Prime Minister’s," said Mr. Benoit, adding that Martelly came to the meeting after being called by a member who told him that MPs were plotting against him.
The senator also said that now his life is in the hands of the Head of State, and his cronies. "They canl do what they want with me, I will not flee. The President knows where I live, he knows my habits... "
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