He portrayed himself as a united person who could cure some kind of grief after the assassination of their President. But just days after the signing of the transition agreement, the Haitian Prime Minister is this week accused of involvement.
The show escalated on Tuesday when a Haitian attorney general asked a judge to prosecute longtime leader Ariel Henry, claiming that phone calls showed that Henry had spoken twice with a notorious murderer, just hours after President Jovenel Moïse was shot by a firing squad in the room where he lives in July.
Henry responded by removing the attorney general, Bed-Ford Claude, and state attorney general, his office calling the case “nonsense” and adding that he had received “countless international calls” that night from people concerned about security and safety. his.
Senator Joseph Lambert, an elderly politician, then used the confusion to let him swear to the position of President. The attempt failed after a gun battle broke out near parliament and ambassadors urged him to return.
More and more problems are coming as the Caribbean’s 11m nation struggles with the consequences of major earthquake last month. Instead of fighting the crisis or ending Moïse’s assassination, traders say the government has been eaten up by the fighting force.
“I do not believe we will know whodunnit,” said the businessman, who spoke to the Financial Times this week from the Port-au-Prince headquarters, referring to Moïse’s assassination. “Every faction is actively trying to destroy their enemies – and they are fighting for political survival.”
Many agree that Henry’s chanting is the one they signed a few days earlier to lead the administration until new elections are held at the end of 2022.
“The agreement was signed and they want something to try to break,” said a local businessman. “This was a complete attempt to break the alliance.”
The ambassador to Port-au-Prince added: “Obviously they are politicians and made up of Jovenel’s people, who are afraid of being left in power.”
A well-trained neurosurgeon by the Prime Minister and Moïse is nearing the end of his life, Henry has received international support and is regarded as one of the few remaining leaders.
A decade of fraud and abuse of power has neglected Haiti’s political leaders and Moïse’s election defeat left a group of 10 senators as the only electorate.
On one side of the war is “Extras”, Fighters for the assassinated president. Among these is her widowed mother, Martine, who was injured in a beating by her husband and is now preparing to represent the president. The group, which also includes a former justice minister who was fired by Rockfeller Vincent, wants immediate elections so as not to damage their power.
In another camp there is Henry and an alliance that includes the march of Michel Martelly, the singer-turned-President who ruled Haiti from 2011-16. They tend to delay the decision to give them time to focus.
A third group of traditional politicians, including Lambert, are vying for power in the background, hoping to gain more government power.
World power has helped Henry to this day. Ambassadors from the Core Group, which includes the US and four other countries, including the UN and the Organization of American States, issued a third ruling Wednesday accusing him, supporting his efforts to form a permanent government.
But the message hid the divisions within the party over Henry’s gambling to stay in office and delay elections. “It appears that he is trying to extend his term in office and that this has not been discussed,” one ambassador said. “These ideas should be elections within three months.”
While business leaders and ambassadors are seeing fewer options on Henry’s behalf, they are worried about his disappearance.
Terrorist violence continues unprotected, with powerful control groups in large Port-au-Prince areas in the cities – seizures and seizures of their own free will. Most of the criminals are said to be affiliated with politics. One of the most powerful criminal bosses, former police officer Jimmy Chérizier, retained great power.
Haiti’s economy is expected to grow by 1% this year, according to the IMF, as inflation continues to exceed 20%. About two-thirds of the population lives in poverty in one of the most unequal areas in the region, and social conflicts are on the rise.
“This is a very difficult time,” said Jessica Hsu, an American who has lived in Haiti for 20 years. Gas shortages are unhelpful, terrorist insecurity. . . it affects, ”he added.
“Now, we have an earthquake and the rural areas are left to fend for themselves.”
Jacky Lumarque, superintendent of the University of Quisque in Port-au-Prince, says the gangs have been living in the vicinity of Martissant for several months, closing a major rift. “Workers at Martissant can’t get to work,” he said. “Our students have tried to get back, but we are in one-third of it because of politics, kidnappings and insurgents.”
“There is a perception that Jovenel Moïse is still in power,” he added. “The lack of leadership from the Prime Minister is unhelpful and he now has no power over doubts about his role in the assassination. Most people are very unhappy. ”