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Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry's whereabouts were in doubt until he turned up in Puerto Rico.
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The United States has called for “urgent” movement toward Haiti's political transition as gangs rampage in the country's capital and rebels demand Prime Minister Ariel Henry's resignation.
Henry landed in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico on Tuesday after days of speculation that she was missing. He was in Kenya last week to sign an agreement securing a Kenyan-led mission to restore security in the Caribbean country. The Miami Herald reported Wednesday that Henry later traveled to Washington to discuss Haiti's political future.
According to the Herald, Henry was scheduled to return to Haiti via the Dominican Republic, but the route was changed to Puerto Rico after the Dominican government changed its mind. The report said U.S. officials called Mr. Henry on the plane to try to persuade him to resign in favor of an interim government.
Asked on Wednesday whether the United States had asked Mr. Henry to resign, U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said: “What we have asked him to do is move forward with the political process that leads to the establishment of a president.” Ta. A transitional council will lead to elections. ”
While Henry was overseas, Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, was under a wave of highly coordinated gang attacks on law enforcement and state institutions. The armed group burned down police stations and released thousands of prisoners from two prisons, in what one gang leader described as an attempt to overthrow Henry's government.
One of the gang's leaders, Jimmy Sheridier, accepted responsibility for the attack and warned of even more dire consequences if the international community “continues to support Henry.”
“If Ariel Henry does not resign, if the international community continues to support Ariel Henry, it will lead us directly to civil war and ultimately end in genocide,” Chéridier told Reuters in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday. I guess so,” he said.
“The international community, particularly the United States, Canada, France, and the core group, will be held responsible for all those who died in Haiti.”
Homeland Security officials said the United States is preparing for the possibility of a large-scale migration from Haiti, out of concern that many people could be displaced if the situation worsens.
The official also said the U.S. Secret Service helped provide security while Henry was in Puerto Rico, noting that this is standard procedure for foreign leaders in the United States.
The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to hold a meeting on Haiti later Wednesday. Ahead of the meeting, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk called on the international community to “act quickly and decisively to prevent Haiti from descending into further chaos.”
“This situation is intolerable for the Haitian people,” he said. “We're running out of time.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
