Henry resigns as Prime Minister of Haiti; new government is installed

A new government, led by a Presidential Transition Council, was installed in Haiti on Thursday following the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, with the main objective of returning governability to the country, ravaged by gang violence.

Henry submitted his resignation in a letter signed in Los Angeles, dated April 24, and published Thursday by his office, the same day the Council swore in and announced Michel Patrick Boisvert, who had resigned, as the new interim prime minister. been serving as Henry’s finance minister.

In his letter, shared on social media, Henry said his administration had “served the nation in difficult times.”

The installation of the Transition Council took place in a school in the Bourdon commune in Port-au-Prince, and not in the presidential headquarters, where these types of events usually take place, which is under siege by gangs, who have killed or injured more than 2,500 people between January and March, according to official figures.

The council was installed more than a month after Caribbean leaders announced its creation following an emergency meeting to address Haiti’s growing crisis. Henry had promised to resign once the council was installed and a new prime minister selected.

The Council, made up of nine members, seven of whom have the right to vote, is expected to help set the program for a new cabinet. He will also appoint a provisional electoral commission, a prerequisite for holding elections, and establish a national security council.

The council’s non-renewable term expires on February 7, 2026, when a new president is scheduled to be sworn in.

“The swearing-in of the members of the Presidential Transition Council represents a vital step in Haiti’s return to inclusive governance,” Brian A. Nichols, Undersecretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the US Department of State, said on the social network X. .

“We congratulate all participants for their commitment to seeking compromises and working together to improve the lives of all Haitians,” he added.

The gangs launched coordinated attacks beginning on February 29 in Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital, and surrounding areas, burning police stations and hospitals, opening fire on the main international airport, which has been closed since March, and storming the two largest prisons in Haiti, releasing more than 4,000 prisoners. Gangs have also blocked passage to the country’s largest port.

The attack began when Henry was in Kenya, on an official visit to request the deployment of a UN-backed police force from that East African country. Henry is currently prohibited from returning to Haiti.

The international community has urged the council to prioritize widespread insecurity in Haiti. Even before the attacks began, the gangs already controlled 80% of Port-au-Prince. The number of people killed in early 2024 increased by more than 50% compared to the same period a year earlier, according to a recent UN report.

[Con información de The Associated Press y Reuters]

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