Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry has resigned, potentially setting off a power struggle that could have far-reaching implications for the hemisphere's poorest country and the United States.
Guyana's President Irfaan Ali said Prime Minister Henry's resignation will take effect concurrently with the establishment of a transitional council to appoint an interim prime minister and prepare for elections. He is the current chairman of CARICOM, a Caribbean regional group that is meeting to find a solution to the Haitian crisis.
advertisement
Continue reading below
“Haitians deserve a country where their children can go to school and their parents know they are safe,” Ali said at a news conference late Monday. “We ask all parties, all stakeholders, all Haitians to be patient.”
Henry, who left Haiti on February 25 to rally support for multinational security forces led by Kenya, has not been able to return to Haiti after gangs stormed the capital and shut down the main airport. The Biden administration has called on Prime Minister Henry to support the transition as the situation worsens. Over the weekend, gangs set fire to the Ministry of Interior and attacked police stations and government offices in the capital overnight.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken attended a meeting with CARICOM in Jamaica on Monday, delivering a commitment from the United States to provide an additional $100 million to support multinational peacekeeping forces awaiting deployment to Haiti.
Washington had previously tried to support Henry long enough to request re-election. But that position has come into question in the past few weeks, as gangs have emptied prisons, torched police stations and laid siege to an international airport. By 2024, more than 1,200 people will be killed and the United Nations estimates that about half of the population will starve.
Henry departed Haiti on February 25, meeting with Caribbean leaders in Guyana and finalizing a deal that would open the door to UN-backed security forces in Kenya. Since then, he has not been able to return home. The plane he was on was refused entry to the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.
In the absence of the prime minister, other forces began to try to fill the vacuum. One of the new political alliances involves former police officer Guy Philippe and former presidential candidate and senator Moise Jean-Charles. Mr. Philippe spent several years in a U.S. prison on money laundering charges for his involvement in the 2004 coup.
In addition, former police officer turned gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier warned that if Henry returned there would be a “civil war” and “genocide.” Gangs have existed in Haiti for decades, but they have grown in power amid collusion between the government and the private sector. They now control about 80% of the capital of Port-au-Prince and most of the countryside.
Chéridier's alliance claims to have 1,000 members, mostly former police officers, security guards and children.
advertisement
Continue reading below
Ali said anyone who has been indicted, prosecuted or convicted in any jurisdiction cannot participate in the political transition. This effectively eliminates the possibility of Philippe, who has said he is interested in running for high-level public office.
Henry came to power following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Although he had international support, he was often seen in Haiti as an unelected dictator who continued to postpone elections, using gang violence as an excuse.
Despite his unpopularity, Washington, the United Nations and others rallied to his support, blocking other attempts to form a coalition government.
The United States has provided more than $5.5 billion to Haiti since 2010. This week's $100 million pledge brings total funding to Kenya-led peace efforts to $300 million.
© 2024 Bloomberg