Haiti’s interim prime minister, Garry Conille, has been dismissed by the country’s transitional council in a move that underscores the escalating instability and violence plaguing the Caribbean nation.
Conille, who had held the position for just six months, is being replaced by businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, according to a decree seen by the Associated Press.
The firing of Conille marks another setback in Haiti’s fragile political situation, which has been deeply affected by worsening gang violence.
Armed gangs now control much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and are expanding their influence to nearby areas.
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The violence has led to widespread hunger and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, with many seeking refuge in neighboring countries.
However, the promised international aid has been slow to arrive, and neighboring nations have been deporting Haitian migrants back to their unstable home country.
Fils-Aimé, the new appointee, is a businessman and the son of a prominent Haitian activist, Alix Fils-Aimé, who was imprisoned under the regime of former dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier.
The transitional council, which was formed in April to oversee the country’s path back to democracy, had been at odds with Conille for some time, and its ability to restore order has been hindered by political infighting and corruption scandals.
In recent weeks, the council has been embroiled in controversy, with several members facing corruption charges.
They are accused of accepting bribes totaling $750,000 from a government bank director in exchange for securing his position.
Despite efforts from international organizations, including the Organization of American States, to mediate and salvage the transition, the political situation in Haiti remains dire.
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Haiti has not held democratic elections in several years, primarily due to the rampant violence and a lack of security.
As the nation grapples with an unprecedented security crisis, the new leadership’s ability to restore stability remains uncertain.