Haiti PM Ariel Henry Resigns Amid Rising Gang Violence in the Caribbean Nation

Port-Au-Prince – Amid the rampant rise in gang violence in Haiti, the Caribbean nation's embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry, has resigned from his post. According to CNN, Henry's resignation was confirmed by the officials of the regional bloc called the Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) on Monday night. The confirmation of Henry's resignation came at the conclusion of a series of emergency meetings held by the Caribbean Community in Jamaica. With this, the Haitian premier is leaving an unelected role he has held since the 2021 assassination of the country's last president.

“We acknowledge the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry upon the establishment of a transitional presidential council and the naming of an interim prime minister,” Guyana leader and current CARICOM President Irfaan Ali said in a statement after the meeting. CARICOM is a regional bloc that comprises 25 Caribbean nations that work on economic integration, security and social development in the region. Last month, Henry travelled to Kenya to secure its leadership of a United Nations-backed international security mission which would have helped police fight armed gangs. However, the drastic escalation of violence in the capital Port-au-Prince during his absence eventually left him stranded in the US territory of Puerto Rico. It is important to note that Henry has still not issued a public comment on the matter as of now. 

The Haiti crisis continues to intensify

The Haitian premier was under pressure from the United States to secure a political settlement in the region. However, with the raging gang violence in the region, it is still not clear who will step in after Henry's resignation, it is not clear who will step in for the post. One name which is being doing around is that of Guy Philippe, a rebel leader recently deported from the US to Haiti after serving time for money laundering, CNN reported. The resignation also came after Haiti went past its delayed schedule to conduct elections. Last month, the Henry administration reasoned that the elections could not be held until it was safe to do so. However, this decision further enraged the protestors who had been demanding Henry's resignation for months. The people of the Caribbean nation have been displeased by the Henry administration as the county continues to slide further into poverty and rampant gang violence. Amid the chaos, the Haiti government declared a state of emergency on Sunday after armed groups attacked the country’s largest prison in the capital Port-Au-Prince, killing and injuring police and prison staff and letting over 3,500 inmates escape.