(Le Floridien) – Nearly two months have elapsed since Haiti’s situation worsened significantly, with gangs ramping up violence and targeting crucial government buildings in Port-au-Prince. Amid this turmoil, Prime Minister Ariel Henry has officially stepped down, following the establishment of a nine-member transitional council this Thursday, April 25.
Prime Minister Henry was on a trip to Kenya, Africa, seeking international support to bolster local police efforts against powerful armed gangs when the gang coalition “Viv Ansam” threatened genocide should he return. Stranded abroad and unable to return, Henry was compelled to announce his resignation.
Michel Patrick Boisvert, the Finance Minister and interim Prime Minister since Henry’s absence, will continue in this role until a new Prime Minister is selected by the council.
“Today marks a significant day in the life of our dear republic, ushering in potential solutions to the multidimensional crises we face,” said Boisvert during the transitional council’s formal swearing-in ceremony.
In a letter dated Wednesday and shared on social media on Thursday, former Prime Minister Henry reflected on his term, stating his administration “served the nation during challenging times.”
The transitional council, consisting of seven voting members and two non-voting observers, is tasked with selecting a new Prime Minister and Cabinet. This committee will also wield certain presidential powers until a new president is inaugurated by February 7, 2026.
The voting members include former central bank governor Fritz Alphonse Jean; former ambassador to the Dominican Republic Smith Augustin; barrister Emmanuel Vertilaire; former Senate president Edgard Leblanc; ex-senator Louis Gerald Gilles; businessman Laurent Saint-Cyr; and former diplomat Leslie Voltaire.
Non-voting observers are evangelical pastor Frinel Joseph and Regine Abraham, formerly of the World Bank and Haiti’s environment ministry.
“The swearing-in of the Transitional Presidential Council members represents a critical step towards restoring inclusive governance in Haiti,” stated Brian A. Nichols, Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the U.S. State Department, on social network X.
The ongoing security crisis has displaced thousands and triggered severe food shortages. Recent data from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) shows that over 2,500 people were killed or injured in gang-related violence from January through March.
