World Without US

4 readers

1 users here now

**World news, outside the US.** Original rationale: unless moderated, internal US news and politics often dominates world news in English, because of its demographic position. This magazine/community is to post news and articles from around the globe, but posts must have a mainly non-US component or focus. Submissions related in some way to the Alan Weisman book *The World Without Us*, which is about what would happen if humans suddenly disappeared from the planet, are also welcome. :)

founded 1 year ago

Haitian PM tenders resignation after Jamaica talks (www.reuters.com)

submitted 8 months ago by livus@kbin.social to c/worldwithoutus@kbin.social

3 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has resigned as head of the Caribbean nation, the leader of a regional body said on Monday, an unelected role the 74-year-old neurosurgeon has held since the 2021 assassination of the country's last president."We acknowledge his resignation upon the establishment of transitional presidential council and naming an interim prime minister," said Caribbean Community (CARICOM) chair and Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, thanking Henry for his service to Haiti.

Henry traveled to Kenya late last month to secure its leadership of a United Nations-backed international security mission to help police fight armed gangs, but a drastic escalation of violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince, during his absence left him stranded in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico.

Ali said the presidential council would have two observers and seven voting members, including representatives from several coalitions, the private sector, civil society and one religious leader.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] livus@kbin.social 1 points 8 months ago

From the article:

Henry's resignation comes alongside regional talks over participation in an international force, which he had requested to help police fight the gangs. Their brutal turf wars have fueled a humanitarian crisis, cut off food supplies and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes....

The U.N. believes Haitian gangs have amassed arsenals of weapons trafficked largely from the United States.

The United Nations estimates more than 362,000 people have been internally displaced, half of whom are children, and thousands have been killed in the conflict, with widespread reports of rape, torture and ransom kidnappings since 2021.
'A BLOODY REVOLUTION'

In Haiti, gang leader Cherizier has threatened to go after hotel owners hiding politicians or collaborating with Henry. He demanded the country's next leader be chosen by the people and live in Haiti, alongside their families.

Many influential Haitian political figures live abroad.

"We're not in a peaceful revolution. We are making a bloody revolution in the country because this system is an apartheid system, a wicked system," Cherizier said.

Residents in the capital saw heavy gunfire over the weekend as armed men downtown surrounded the National Palace on Friday night and by Sunday the United States had airlifted staff from its embassy. On Monday, authorities extended a nightly curfew until Thursday....

Henry first requested an international security force in 2022, but countries have been slow to offer support, with some raising doubts over the legitimacy of Henry's unelected government amid widespread protests.

Many in Haitian communities and abroad are wary of international interventions after previous U.N. missions left behind a devastating cholera epidemic and sex abuse scandals, for which reparations were never made.

Mike Ballard, intelligence director at security firm Global Guardian, said if gangs take control of ports and airports, they would be in charge of humanitarian aid to the country, adding he did not believe Kenyan forces would effectively police or maintain peace.

"Countries with actual stakes in the region will need to step up and help shore up security," he said, pointing to the United States, neighboring Dominican Republic and other CARICOM members.