By OSWALD T. BROWN
WASHINGTON, D.C., March 8, 2024 — U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Haitian Prime Minister Dr. Ariel Henry on Thursday, March 7, to discuss the ongoing political, security, and humanitarian crisis in Haiti, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement released today.
“For more than a year, the United States has encouraged Prime Minister Henry and other key stakeholders in Haiti to reach a compromise that will end the ongoing political stalemate. In the past week, the political crisis in Haiti, combined with escalating violence and civil unrest, has created an untenable situation which threatens the country’s citizens and security,” the statement noted.
In his conversation with Prime Minister Henry, Secretary Blinken “expressed support for a proposal developed in partnership with CARICOM and Haitian stakeholders to expedite a political transition through the creation of a broad-based, independent presidential college to steer the country toward the deployment of a Multinational Security Support mission and free and fair elections.”
Secretary Blinken urged Henry “to support this proposal in the interest of restoring peace and stability to Haiti so the Haitian people can resume their daily lives free from violence and despair.”
Meanwhile, MercoPress reported yesterday that Prime Minister Henry has sought shelter in Puerto Rico after his aircraft was denied a landing clearance by the Dominican Republic, noting that Henry “is unable to return to Port-au-Prince where gang groups threaten that a bloodbath will occur should he refuse to resign.”
The Prime Minister left Haiti late February to participate in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Summit in Guyana, after which he participated in the 8th Summit of The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) in St. Vincent before going to Kenya to sign an agreement whereby the African nation would get involved in law enforcement and peacekeeping tasks in Haiti.
In Henry’s absence, gangs stormed the country’s main prison, killing many guards and allowing thousands of inmates to escape. The rebels also attacked Haiti’s main airport, and according to published reports, gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, a former police officer, told reporters that Henry would not be allowed back into the country.
A 74-year-old neurosurgeon, Henry was sworn in as Haiti’s prime minister in July 2021, less than two weeks after President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated. Moïse had chosen Henry for the post shortly before he was killed, triggering months of political instability and gang violence.
In Kenya, Henry discussed with President William Ruto the UN-backed deployment of a police force to assist Haiti’s ill-equipped law enforcement apparatus. However, such a move was ruled unconstitutional by a Kenyan court.
Nairobi has committed to lead the operation by sending 1,000 police officers to Haiti, but has not revealed a timeline for their deployment or published details of the deal. Washington and Ottawa have pledged $260 million in funding between them.
The west African country of Benin has offered 2,000 troops. Other countries from Africa, the Caribbean and Central America — including Senegal, Chad, Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize — have also said they will send manpower.
According to published reports, since Henry left Haiti on February 25 to attend the CARICOM summit in Guyana, gangs have rampaged through the capital Port-au-Prince, raiding two jails over the weekend and freeing thousands of inmates, while launching attacks on the country’s main airport.
Banks, schools and hospitals have been closed in the impoverished Caribbean nation. On Sunday authorities declared a 72-hour state of emergency and nightly curfew in the hope of quelling the recent squall of violence that UN officials say has displaced 15,000.
Henry’s tenuous grip on power has also been seen as a hurdle by some regional leaders to progress on the deployment of an intervention force. At the CARICOM Summit, Henry announced that elections would be held before September 2025.
SOURCE: This article was compiled from several published reports.
