Michel Martelly, presidential campaign, March 2012. (AP photo)
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haitian President Michel Martelly is trying to quell rumors that he is not a Haitian citizen.
The president showed reporters his blue Haitian passport at a nationally televised news conference on Thursday. U.S. ambassador to Haiti Kenneth Merten also said at the news conference that Martelly is not a U.S. citizen.
Martelly called the news conference to respond to critics who have accused him of holding dual nationality.
The Haitian constitution does not recognize dual nationality for senior government officials, and politicians have been disqualified from office in the past for having acquired citizenship of other countries.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press
