Miami: The leader of a group of Haitians concerned about the future of the Caribbean country on Friday called for the formation of a provisional government to bolster security and ensure free elections in two years.
The country of 11 million people – the poorest in the Western Hemisphere – has been in a political vacuum since the July assassination of President Jovanel Mois. Gang violence has worried some politicians that Haiti is not in a position to hold elections.
“We are close to a state of chaos,” group leader Fritz Jean, an economist, said in a Zoom interview from his Port-au-Prince home, adding voters would be unable to attend given the country’s security problems.
The group, which calls itself the Montana Accords for the Montana Hotel in Port-au-Prince where they are meeting, has proposed that Jean, 65, head a provisional government in place of Prime Minister Ariel Henri.
The group consists of civic leaders, former politicians, journalists, economists and entrepreneurs, who have met for almost a year to discuss a common political forum.
Henry, backed by the United States and major foreign powers, has tweeted in recent days that the next government will only come through elections.
In consultation about the Montana Accords, the prime minister’s office referred to Reuters a January speech by Henry in which he said there was no legal or constitutional way to choose a valid interim president.
Haiti’s gangs have increasingly carried out kidnappings in broad daylight, entire neighborhoods are under gang control, and government officials have had to cancel state events due to gun battles between police and criminal groups.
“We cannot talk about elections in the time of such violence in the country. If you can’t participate, what credibility can these elections have?” Jean said.
“If you have elections in this environment, it might mean giving (gangs) more control,” Jean said, noting that the government does not control half of Port-au-Prince and that The capital is inaccessible by road due to the presence of gangs. ,
The proposed transition plan comes as Henry’s government faces a crisis of legitimacy.
Monday marks the end of Moise’s term in office, except for Henry, a neurosurgeon who had been appointed prime minister by Moise shortly before the assassination, with no official mandate. Legislators have similarly seen their terms come to an end.
Jean said the Montana Accords, which have aligned with other political and civil society groups, have laid the foundation for creating legitimate authority when elections are possible.
“It was the first step to build consensus among people, for people to share a common vision of where we want to go,” he said.
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