Prime Minister of Haiti, Ariel Henry has resigned following days of violent protests demanding his removal from office.
Henry announced his resignation from Puerto Rico, where he has been stranded due to threats from gang leaders preventing his return to Haiti.
In a video message, Henry started that, the government he is leading will dissolve immediately after the installation of a transition council.
“I want to thank the Haitian people for the opportunity I was 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. I hope to return to the country in the near future”, he said.
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Recall that Henry became the interim Prime Minister in 2021 after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. He had promised to hold elections soon after taking office but failed to do so, leading to increased instability in the country as citizens viewed him as an illegitimate leader since he was not elected. This sparked months of unrest and violence, particularly from gangs controlling parts of Haiti.
Violent unrest escalated over the past 10 days as gangs joined forces to remove his unpopular government. They set fire to police stations, stormed ports and prisons, and besieged the country’s international airport in the capital, Port-au-Prince to prevent his plane from landing after he went to Kenya to sign a deal that would see to Kenya’s government sending security officials to reinforce Haiti’s security forces.
Henry submitted his resignation to the Caribbean Community and Common Market (Caricom) while they were meeting in Jamaica to discuss Haiti’s future.
Guyana President Irfaan Ali, the chairman of Caricom, confirmed Henry’s resignation and announced the formation of a transitional presidential council.
The council will have two observers and seven voting members, including representatives from various coalitions, the private sector, civil society, and one religious leader. The council’s mandate is to swiftly appoint an interim prime minister, and anyone intending to run in Haiti’s next elections will not be able to participate, President Ali said.