Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced on Monday his intentions to formally resign following the establishment of a transitional council. The council is set to guide the Caribbean state, currently immersed in escalated gang violence. Prime Minister Henry remains in Puerto Rico after travelling to Kenya to deliberate on the inception of a multinational task force intended to bring stabilization to Haiti.
In his resignation statement, Henry implored the Haitian population to maintain tranquillity and work towards swift restoration of peace and stability. Additionally, regional leaders gathered on Monday in Jamaica to concur on the formation of a new transitional administration in Haiti. This government will be directed by a seven-member presidential committee responsible for the selection of a new interim prime minister and the preparation of the country for imminent elections.
The governing body of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), consisting of 15 member states, explicitly assured that individuals currently facing criminal accusations, anyone convicted in any jurisdiction, individuals under UN Sanctions, potential candidates for the upcoming Haitian election, and objectors of the UN Security Council Resolution 2699 would be exempt from council membership. Learn more here.
This action comes in the wake of the murder of former president Jovenel Moïse, committed by Colombian mercenaries in July 2021. Since this tragic event, gangs have seized control of large sections of the country, including substantial areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Violence saw a recent uptick following a massive prison raid by armed gangs which freed 3700 inmates.
Former police officer and notorious gang leader, Jimmy Cherizier, better known as Barbecue, who currently rules over a federation of Haitian gangs, called for the resignation of Prime Minister Henry, cautioning of a rise in violence should Henry remain in power.
Since its independence from France in 1804, Haiti has been afflicted by a cycle of military uprisings and external invasions, further exacerbated by a devastating earthquake in 2010 which resulted in extensive damage to the island’s infrastructure.
Full details of the story can be found on JURIST – News.