Haiti’s transitional council elects its president and prime minister

The new transitional council in Haiti, which assumed the head of state after the resignation of controversial Prime Minister Ariel Henry, elected Edgard Leblanc Fils as president of the governing body on Tuesday, during a ceremony held in Port-au-Prince. Likewise, he also appointed Fritz Belizaire, former minister of youth and sports, as prime minister.

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Leblanc will have a coordinating role in the presidential council, sworn in last week with the goal of restoring order to a country devastated by gang violence. Belizaire’s nomination must be confirmed by a statement in Haiti’s national bulletin.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we have today, Tuesday, April 30, a well-known president (…) who will coordinate the council, according to the agreement reached between the different political entities,” declared one of the members of that governing body. , Frinel Joseph, during the ceremony.

The nine members of the transitional presidential council – seven with voting rights and two observers – were sworn in and were sworn in last Thursday. They represent the main political parties, civil society and the private sector. Leblanc is a member of the Collective of Political Parties of January 30, an alliance that opposed resigning Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Haiti has suffered an explosion of violence since late February, when powerful gangs joined forces to attack police stations, prisons, public offices and the Port-au-Prince airport, in a fight against Henry. The leader, the country’s unelected leader since the assassination in 2021 of President Jovenel Moise, made official his resignation announced in March under pressure from the international community last week.

The council has also been tasked with appointing a cabinet, co-signing orders and establishing a provisional electoral council that will be tasked with paving the way for Haiti’s first elections since 2016. According to Haiti’s constitution, the country should elect a new president before February 7, 2026.

dmr