Wyclef Jean to run in Haiti’s November Presidential Election?

Wyclef Jean, recording artist and former member of the 90’s hip hop group the Regees, is considering running for the President of Haiti in the upcoming November 28 2010 Presidential election according to an official statement released by the singer’s family.

Jean, who was born in Haiti but raised in New York and New Jersey, has already filed all the necessary papers but has until August 7 to formally declare his intention to run.

Ever since his appointment as Ambassador at large by President Rene Preval 2007, there have been rumours that Jean would consider a bid for the presidential office. The Haitian-American entertainer however had previously denied any intention to seek office.  He however told CNN that while reports of a prudential campaign was premature, he was indeed thinking about the idea.

Reaction in Haiti to a possible Wyclef candidacy has been mixed. The 37 year old musician is very popular among the islands youth. However many still view him as an outsider who may not necessarily be the right person for the job notwithstanding his immense popularity.

At any rate, if he does decide to run, he will not have an easy road ahead of him. Haitian elections are notoriously chaotic and Jean will be going up against possible dozens of candidates including his own uncle, Raymond Joseph who is Haiti’s Ambassador to the US.

Notwithstanding his US upbringing, Jean, has stayed connected to Haiti and has been active in recent years and more so since the devastation of the January earthquake, in raising money for his impoverished homeland through his Yele Haiti Foundation