Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns

Kingston, Jamaica.- Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has agreed to step down from his position, as announced by the current president of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) during a press conference held after a meeting in Jamaica. The discussions centered on addressing the challenges facing Haiti, including rampant gang violence and a governance crisis.

Mohamed Irfaan Ali, the president of Guyana and Caricom, stated, “We acknowledge the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry” and disclosed the initiation of “a transitional governance agreement facilitating a peaceful transition of power.”

Having been in Puerto Rico since the previous Tuesday, Henry had departed Haiti to participate in the 46th Regular Meeting of Caricom. Following the conclusion of this commitment, his plan was to return to Haiti, with a scheduled stopover in the Dominican Republic. However, the Dominican authorities denied permission for the landing of the prime minister’s flight, leading him to divert to Puerto Rico.

Ariel Henry assumed office on July 20, 2021, following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse just thirteen days earlier. Moïse had appointed Henry as prime minister in the final decree he signed, entrusting him with the responsibility of forming a consensus cabinet—an initiative that did not come to fruition.

Moïse’s vision was for Henry to assemble a cabinet representing diverse political affiliations, aiming to ease tensions and pave the way for overdue elections, which are yet to take place.

A moderate figure, Ariel Henry is a trained medical professional who studied medicine at the University of Montpellier in France. His educational background includes advanced studies in neurophysiology and neuropathology. During his time in France, he served as a neurosurgery resident and held the position of adjunct professor in that specialty at a hospital on two occasions.

Source: AFP AGENCY