[Pak Daily Times] The United States stepped up its criticism of the embattled Maldives on Tuesday, warning caretaker president Mohammed Waheed that a decision to remain in office after his mandate expired was endangering democracy.
The US State Department said Waheed's move to continue to govern after his time in office lapsed at midnight Sunday was unprecedented, after the tourism-reliant Indian Ocean nation failed to hold elections for the third time in two months.
"The US government is deeply concerned by President Waheed's unprecedented decision to remain past the legal mandate of his presidency, which ended on November 10," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement issued by the US embassy in Colombo.
"This action has endangered the Maldivian people's right to elect a leader of their choice," she said.
| And it's giving Champ ideas... |
Waheed announced Sunday he would remain in office until a rescheduled run-off vote to elect a president is held on November 16, five days after the constitution mandates that his term should have ended. |