Haiti has experienced a worsening humanitarian and security crisis since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, in July 2021, which inflamed disputes between gangs that dominate practically the entire Caribbean country. This crisis goes hand in hand with another: the institutional one.
February 7th is traditionally the date of the presidential inauguration in Haiti, but last Wednesday, this did not happen. That day would mark the end of the mandate of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has governed the country since Moïse's death.
In December 2022, Henry had signed an agreement with representatives of political parties and civil society organizations, endorsed by the international community, in which he committed to calling elections in 2023 so that a new president could take office on February 7, 2024.
None of this happened, as Henry has reiterated that it is impossible to call elections in Haiti without the security crisis being contained. “As soon as the security problem begins to be resolved, we will launch the electoral process at all costs to hand over power to the leaders that the Haitian people must choose in good elections,” he said in a speech on Thursday (8).
The day before, the date on which the prime minister was supposed to hand over his post, at least six people died and more than ten were injured in protests against his government.
Legislative elections are also pending in Haiti, as senators' terms come to an end in January 2023.
The crisis caused the neighboring Dominican Republic to issue an alert and reinforce security on the border between the two countries.
The United States also expressed concern: in a statement, Democratic Senator Edward J. Markey denounced that Henry “has once again failed to maintain his commitment to an inclusive and peaceful transition of power”.
“The people of Haiti deserve to have the power of democracy in their hands. Prime Minister Henry must take immediate action so that Haiti can have a peaceful and democratic transition. Our government and our international partners need to provide the necessary support to the people of Haiti to achieve lasting democratic elections, governance and institutions,” he pointed out.
In addition to his attachment to power, Henry is criticized by the Haitian population for two reasons. Firstly, he failed to resolve the security crisis.
A multinational mission to deal with the issue, approved by the UN Security Council and which will be led by Kenya (the only country that has committed for now to sending military personnel to Haiti), is in doubt because it was vetoed by a court in the African country.
The second point is that Henry is suspected of the death of Moïse, who chose him to be prime minister the day before he was killed. In September 2021, he fired the prosecutor who had asked for his indictment for alleged participation in the president's death.
Return of paramilitary leader to Haiti increases tension
In addition to the protests, Henry recently gained another source of political strain: paramilitary leader Guy Philippe, one of those responsible for the impeachment of then-president Bertrand Aristide in 2004, returned to the country after serving time in the United States on charges related to drug trafficking.
According to the BBC, Philippe has been preaching a “rebellion” against Henry and on a radio program last week promised: “The fight is just the beginning”, in reference to protests against Henry staying beyond the agreed deadline.
In an interview this Wednesday (14) with France 24, former prime minister Claude Joseph said that Henry's argument that security chaos prevents elections from being held is simply a pretext to remain in power and that the current prime minister “is inciting a civil war in Haiti.”
The poorest country in the Americas, where 50% of the population suffers from food insecurity and lives in poverty, faces the threat of seeing the situation worsen even further.
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