Haiti’s political situation saw a flurry of activity in the last couple of days, after many weeks of impasse and negotiations.
It’s a very complicated set of events that can be summarized like this: outgoing Prime Minister Ariel Henry finally resigned, and the rest of his cabinet ‘elected’ a new ‘provisional’ PM. Meanwhile, the new ‘Transitional Council’ was sworn in, and said council may or not appoint its own ‘Interim PM’.
Confusing, is it not? Now add to that the fact that the control on the streets is NOT maintained by the various unelected political groups, but rather by the rebel gangs.
Exiled PM Henry presented his resignation in a letter signed in Los Angeles dated from Yesterday (24).
Henry’s remaining Cabinet chose Economy and Finance Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert as the interim prime minister.
It was not immediately clear if or when the newly appointed transitional council would select its own interim prime minister.
Gun battles rage near the Presidential Palace.
Associated Press reported:
“Addressing a crowded and sweaty room in the prime minister’s office, Boisvert said that Haiti’s crisis had gone on too long and that the country now found itself at a crossroads. The members of the transitional council stood behind him, as well as the country’s top police and military officials.
‘After two long months of debate … a solution has been found’, Boisvert said. ‘Today is an important day in the life of our dear republic’. He called the transitional council a ‘Haitian solution’ and directing his remarks toward them, Boisvert wished them success, adding ‘I believe the determination is there’.”
The elegant leaders toasted with champagne and chanted ‘to Haiti’.
“The council was installed earlier Thursday, more than a month after Caribbean leaders announced its creation following an emergency meeting to tackle Haiti’s spiraling crisis. Gunfire could be heard as the council was sworn in at the National Palace.
The nine-member council, of which seven have voting powers, is also expected to help set the agenda of a new Cabinet. It will also appoint a provisional electoral commission, a requirement before elections can take place, and establish a national security council.”
This new Transition Council has a non-renewable mandate that expires on Feb. 7, 2026 – when a new president is scheduled to be sworn in.
But recent history has taught us how the provisional leader tends to cling to power until toppled.
Will the new council keep Boisvert on as interim prime minister or choose another leader? No one knows.
The situation of the already chaotic country unraveled further after the July 2021 assassination of duly-elected President Jovenel Moïse.
Rebel gangs led by Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Chérizier control 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince.
Gangs control most of Port-au-Prince and the population of Port-au-Prince has literally been taken hostage.
“Gangs launched coordinated attacks that began on Feb. 29 in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding areas. They burned police stations and hospitals, opened fire on the main international airport that has remained closed since early March and stormed Haiti’s two biggest prisons, releasing more than 4,000 inmates. Gangs also have severed access to Haiti’s biggest port.
‘Port-au-Prince is now almost completely sealed off because of air, sea and land blockades’, Catherine Russell, UNICEF’s director, said earlier this week.”
Nearly 100,000 people have fled the capital to safer cities and towns since the rebel gang attacks began.
Read more:
The post HAITI HELL: Unelected Transitional Council Is Sworn In, New Interim Prime Minister Chosen as Violence Takes Country to the Brink of Catastrophe appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
