PM vows to step aside for council

Embattled Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Tuesday agreed to resign when a transitional presidential council is formed, bowing to international pressure as his nation is consumed by brutal gang warfare.

Henry, 74, a former neurosurgeon who landed in power after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, announced he would step down after an emergency meeting with officials from Caribbean nations and the US over the crisis.

“Haiti wants peace. Haiti wants stability,” said Henry — who is currently in Puerto Rico, unable to finish his journey home from an official trip to Kenya because of the crisis. “Haiti needs to rebuild democratic institutions. I’m asking all Haitians to remain calm and do everything they can for peace and stability to come back as fast as possible.”

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said during Monday’s regional powwow that the formation of a transitional council is necessary to stave off the escalating violence.

The gangs have vowed to continue to wreak violence at least until Henry is out.

The US backed a call for the United Nations to intervene and provide security, aid and logistical resources, with Blinken hopeful that the mission would be deployed soon to reinforce the Haitian National Police, The Washington Post said.

The UN mission is aimed at helping “create the security conditions that are necessary to hold free and fair elections, to allow humanitarian assistance to get to people who need it,” Blinken said.

After news of the UN’s intent to intervene, gang leader Jimmy Chérizier told reporters that it would only “plunge Haiti into further chaos.

“We Haitians have to decide who is going to be the head of the country and what model of government we want,” he said.