The demonstrators demand the resignation of President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, accusing the US of supporting the unpopular leaders and urging President Putin to help.
Some have been holding posters that read “Vladimir Putin, Please Help Us!”
The protesters clashed with police, burned tires, and threw stones. Police used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Hundreds managed to enter the National Palace area, which has been closed to the public for several years.
"Today is a victory against President Martelly, who is destroying the country; for two years we (haven’t been allowed) to cross in front of the National Palace,” the BBC quotes one of the protesters, a man named Reginald, as saying.
The growing discontent over the country’s leadership has been driven by the postponement of its elections, which the country was supposed to hold back in 2011. They were cancelled due to a stalemate between the government and the opposition over the electoral law.
The opposition, therefore, accused the president of a desire to rule by decree. The government fought back, saying the opposition also hopes to extend their time in office.
The country is still trying to cope with the aftermath of a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake, which claimed the lives of over 100,000 people back in 2010.
