(Le Floridien) — Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who made political history in 2022 as the first Haitian-American Democrat elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, has called on Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry to step down during a press conference in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, addressing the chaotic situation in her parents’ homeland.
The U.S. representative for Florida’s 20th congressional district, elected in a special election in 2022 to fill the seat left vacant after Alcee Hastings’ death, is urging her colleagues in Washington to allocate $40 million to the United Nations. This funding aims to assist its mission to liberate Haiti from the violent gangs that have almost completely taken over the nation.
Gang attacks on critical government sites started on Feb. 29 across Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. These gangs have torched several police stations in the metropolitan area, shut down the main international airports, and stormed the country’s two largest prisons, releasing over 4,000 inmates.
“The more we allow gang members to take over the country and succeed in their plans, the greater the security risk to our country,” stated U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Miramar. “It’s crucial that we fund this mission as soon as possible and move forward.”
Cherfilus-McCormick, who still has family in Haiti, has reiterated her call for Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s resignation.
“Prime Minister Henry has attempted to unify the country, but the situation has only deteriorated further. The gangs have warned of a civil war if he returns to Haiti,” she explained.
She described the mission as a multinational security effort aimed at “stabilizing the country, removing gang members’ influence, and transitioning towards a democracy.”
The U.S., along with Canada and France, intends to contribute over $250 million to the UN mission, with the majority coming from Congress, which has already provided $10 million, according to Cherfilus-McCormick.
However, Republicans, who hold the majority in the House, are seeking more details about the plan before approving the remaining funds.
“Every day we delay funding, every moment we wait on this mission, we’re losing Haitian and American lives in Haiti,” she emphasized. “It’s increasingly critical to advance this mission quickly, as well as support the governance aspect, which includes establishing a transitional government.”
Cherfilus-McCormick also informed reporters in South Florida on Monday that gangs had seized control of the airport, complicating efforts to leave the island.
The Haitian American Congresswoman emphasized the need for a robust justice system in Haiti.
“Without justice, these gangs will simply remain dormant and resurface to terrorize people during the next election. We’ve repeatedly seen this pattern,” she added.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Caribbean leaders in Jamaica late Monday afternoon, urgently addressing Haiti’s escalating crisis and increasing pressure on Henry to resign or consent to a transitional council.
Blinken thanked Prime Minister Holness for hosting the CARICOM High-Level Meeting on Haiti, and for Jamaica’s partnership in facilitating an expedited Multinational Security Support mission deployment to Haiti. He reiterated the United States’s support for a proposal developed in partnership with CARICOM and Haitian stakeholders to expedite a political transition through a creation of a broad based, independent presidential college. Secretary Blinken and Prime Minister Holness reiterated security and stability in the Caribbean region as a shared priority of the United States and Jamaica.
As of this report, at least two sources close to Ariel Henry’s government have suggested that the Prime Minister, who has been effectively locked out of his country, appears ready to resign after resisting a week of pressure from the international community, especially the United States.
