Haiti’s latest gang violence crisis, and how it forced PM Ariel Henry to resign | Explained Premium

The Hindu explains what’s happening in Haiti and what happens next as PM Ariel Henry agrees to step down.

The story so far: In a turning point for the political and security crisis going on in Haiti for three years, Prime Minister Ariel Henry on March 12 agreed to step down and pave the way for a transitional authority. This was following intense global pressure, driven by weeks of widespread gang violence that pushed the Caribbean nation into a state of emergency.

The Haitian PM announced his decision through a video message on social media from Puerto Rico, where he has been stranded for the past few days, as the country witnessed a dramatic escalation in violence. Calling for Mr. Henry to resign, powerful criminal gangs in recent weeks raided prisons, looted infrastructure, damaged communications, attempted to take over the international airport and cut off the capital of Port-au-Prince from the rest of the country, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes.

Appealing for calm and peace, Mr. Henry said he would “immediately leave power” once a transitional presidential council is installed and an interim leader is chosen. “The government I lead cannot remain insensitive to this situation. As I have always said, no sacrifice is too great for our homeland Haiti,” he said.

The Haitian PM’s pledge followed a meeting of Caribbean leaders with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Jamaica on March 11, which saw discussions on the way forward to facilitate a political transition.

Once a rich French colony, the Caribbean nation is now one of the poorest nations in the Western hemisphere, paralysed by a struggling economy, political instability, natural disasters and epidemics. Over half of its 11 million population lives below the poverty line.

After freedom from France in the 19th century, the country remained under occupation by the United States for nearly two decades. The U.S. controlled Haiti’s security and finances, imposed racial segregation, forced labour, and press censorship, and deposed Presidents and legislatures that opposed the U.S. presence, the Centre for Foreign Relations (CFR) notes. Nearly 15,000 Haitians were reportedly killed in rebellions against the U.S. occupation before President Franklin D. Roosevelt withdrew his troops in 1934. There was, however, no change in the overall situation as a series of unstable governments followed the U.S. withdrawal.

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