Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation late on Monday. The situation in Haiti became dire with gangs attacking prisons and setting police stations on fire. Gangs led by Jimmy Cherizier aka Barbecue had openly challenged PM Henry's legitimacy and urged him to quit.
The President Irfaan Ali announced that Henry had submitted his resignation. “We acknowledge the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry upon the establishment of a transitional presidential council and the naming of an interim prime minister,” Ali said from a regional summit in Kingston, Jamaica.
Currently, Henry is in Puerto Rico and was unable to return to Haiti as the gangs had laid a siege to the capital's international airport. During the PM’s absence, gang violence intensified taking control of many regions.
In a video, Henry urged the people in Haiti to remain calm until a transition of power could be arranged.
“The government that I am leading will resign immediately after the installation of (a transition) council,” said Henry said. “I want to thank the Haitian people for the opportunity I had been granted...I'm asking all Haitians to remain calm and do everything they can for peace and stability to come back as fast as possible,” added Henry.
According to a US official, the decision to step down was made on Friday. The formal announcement came after Henry submitted his resignation to the Caribbean Community regional political bloc-Caricom on Monday.
An emergency meeting was called by the Caribbean leaders to discuss the future of Haiti with the violence gripping the streets. Reportedly, the United States and France too joined the meeting.
Haiti has not had an election since 2016.
What’s next in line for Haiti
With the PM’s resignation, next follows the formation of a transition council and naming an interim prime minister.
The presidential transitional council will be made up of two observers and seven voting members representing a range of Haitian society, Caricom chair Irfaan Ali said on Monday.
Through a majority vote, the council will exercise specified presidential powers. It will also appoint an interim prime minister and a cabinet. It will also establish a provisional electoral council that will be tasked with paving the way to Haiti's first election since 2016.
