Haiti Prime Minister Henry resigns: Gangs' power struggle
Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry has resigned from his post following the unrest that erupted after more than 4,000 inmates escaped from prison.
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Following the violence and intense protests caused by gangs in Haiti, Prime Minister Ariel Henry has announced that he will step down from his position.
Guyana President and current Chair of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Irfaan Ali issued a statement saying, "We have accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, following the agreement to establish a transitional presidential council and the appointment of an interim prime minister."
Heads of state from 25 CARICOM member countries held an emergency meeting in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, to discuss the security crisis in Haiti.
Following the meeting, it was announced that Henry, who has been waiting in Puerto Rico since March 5 for security reasons, had conveyed his decision to resign to CARICOM.
Local media reports stated that in the country where violence continues, gang members raided two police stations and the Ministry of Interior but were repelled by police.
'HAITI WILL BE EITHER A PARADISE FOR ALL OR A HELL FOR ALL'
Armed gangs demanding Henry's resignation launched armed attacks on two prisons near Port-au-Prince and the Croix des Bouquets region on March 2 and 3, attacking security forces. During the clashes, 12 people lost their lives, and approximately 4,000 inmates escaped from prison.
Gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, nicknamed 'Barbecue', who organized the escape of thousands of inmates from the prison, stated on March 6 that if Prime Minister Henry did not resign, "Haiti will be either a paradise for all or a hell for all."
On March 4, the government declared a 72-hour state of emergency to capture the criminals who escaped from prison and began implementing a curfew during certain hours.
Cherizier's gang had attempted to seize the airport in the capital several times to prevent Prime Minister Henry from returning to the country. Henry was in Nairobi during the aforementioned gang attacks to discuss the deployment of a Kenya-led multinational security force to Haiti.
The 72-hour state of emergency declared on March 4 to capture the inmates who escaped from prison in Haiti was extended by one month on March 7.