Haiti political parties reject plan to install new leaders

A plan for a transitional Haitian government backed by the U.S. and other regional allies was rejected by Haitian political leaders Wednesday, calling into question efforts to stabilize the country’s government.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced he will resign from his post Tuesday, endorsing a plan for a presidential council that would select the country’s next leader as Haiti struggles against rampant gang violence and political instability. 

The council — negotiated among the U.S., Kenya, Caribbean states and other regional governments this week — requires members to not run for president, not be charged with crimes and support a Kenyan-led multinational police force backed by the U.S.

Some of Haiti’s top political leaders rejected the plan, citing opposition to its requirements, specifically the support to a multinational security force. 

Former Haitian Sen. Jean Charles Moïse and former rebel leader Guy Philippe said Wednesday that their three-person transition council instead should be implemented.

“We are not going to negotiate it,” Moïse declared at a press conference. “We have to make them understand.”

Phillippe also denounced the plan, tying the council to Haiti’s corrupt political leadership, and urged Haitians to protest in the streets.

“The decision of CARICOM is not our decision,” he said, referring to the regional governmental body called the Caribbean Community. “Haitians will decide who will govern Haiti.”

Philippe led a coup against former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in 2004 and was recently released from U.S. prison for money laundering. He is not eligible to be a member of the council due to his criminal record and stated intention to run for president.

A senior State Department official told reporters Tuesday that the U.S. would not want Philippe to lead the country after the council organizes elections.

“I think the United States and the vast majority of the international community would find that worrisome,” the official said. “We would have serious concerns about that.”

The exact members of the nine-person council have not been announced, though the group will have representatives from most of Haiti’s political groups, as well as representatives from its civil and religious sectors.

Rampant gang violence quickly increased in Port-Au-Prince in late February, when Henry left for Kenya to establish and organize the multinational police mission. The violence forced the U.S. government to urge all Americans out of the country and evacuate the U.S. Embassy, where it deployed a group of Marines.

Henry has not returned to Haiti due to the violence and fears he could be assassinated, and he is staying in Puerto Rico. The violence has fueled instability that has plagued Haiti since former President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in 2021.

The U.S. has committed $300 million for the security force, with a third of the funds being used to directly reimburse Kenya for its contributions, a senior State Department official said Tuesday. The security plan was enacted by a United Nations Security Council resolution last year.

Deployment of the security force has been delayed due to Henry’s resignation, but the State Department said it still believes the plan will move ahead.

“In our conversations with Kenyan officials, both sides have stressed the importance of moving to deploy as quickly as practicable,” the official said. “We remain confident that the mission will go forward, and in all the conversations, Kenyan officials have said that they intend to go forward.”