Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced on Tuesday that he would resign, bowing to international pressure to step down amid the turmoil gripping the country.
In a statement released early Tuesday morning, Mr Henry agreed to step down once an interim presidential council is established and an interim prime minister is appointed. The announcement comes as Caribbean leaders and officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, meet in Jamaica, which comes after gangs torched a police station, attacked a major airport and attacked two of the country’s largest prisons. This took place just hours after they discussed the spiraling crisis in Haiti.
Some experts have described the current crisis as a mini-civil war.
“The government I run cannot be insensitive to this situation. No sacrifice is too great for our country,” Henry said in a recorded statement. “The government I run will immediately remove the council itself from office after it is established.”
Keep an eye on talks with Caribbean leaders as Haiti’s violent crisis escalates
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his resignation early Tuesday morning outside of office hours after an emergency meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (AP Photo/Andrew Cusk)
It is not immediately clear who will lead Haiti out of the crisis.
Scores of people have been killed during the violence, and more than 15,000 residents have fled the gang-hit areas and become homeless. As a result of the raid, more than 4,000 prisoners were released.
Stalls and stores selling to poor Haitians are running out of products, and food and water are dwindling.
Armed members of the G9 and Family gangs patrol a barricade in the Delmas 6 neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, March 11. (AP Photo/Oderin Joseph)
Port-au-Prince’s main port remains closed, preventing containers containing vital supplies from reaching people in need. Heavily armed gangs control about 80% of Port-au-Prince.
U.S. military airlifts non-essential personnel from Haitian embassy to strengthen security as gang violence continues
Earlier on Monday, Blinken announced an additional $100 million to fund the multinational military mission to Haiti and an additional $33 million in humanitarian aid.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Jamaica on Monday for emergency talks with Caribbean leaders regarding the Haiti crisis. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds, Pool via AP)
Jimmy Chéridier, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader, said in a closed-door leadership meeting that if Haiti continues on its current path, the international community will “plunge Haiti into further turmoil.” Stated.
“We Haitians have to decide who will be our head of state and what model of government we want,” said Chélisier, who heads the gang coalition G9 Families and Allies. “We will also be thinking about how to get Haiti out of its current dire situation.”
Regional trading bloc CARICOM held an emergency meeting in Jamaica after months of calling for the formation of a transitional government in Haiti.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken (right) is greeted by U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica N. Nick Perry (left) at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston, Jamaica, on Monday. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Pool via Associated Press)
Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali said the transition council would have seven voting members and two non-voting members.
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Henry is Haiti’s longest-serving prime minister since the country’s constitution was approved in 1987.
He became Prime Minister after the assassination of President Jouvenel Moïse on July 7, 2021.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
