Haiti sinks in political instability
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The political instability in Haiti has plunged that country into a crisis that has already completed a little over a week
The protests have been taken to Port-au-Prince, capital of the Caribbean island Haiti, to such an extent that already the US government recommends "postpone all non-essential trips to Haiti" and those who are in the country "consider leaving as soon as they can do it safely". Similarly, the Canadian government has already confirmed that "the Canadian airline Air Transat will evacuate 113 Canadians who were on the island," according to Sputnik.
Leer en español: Haití se hunde en la inestabilidad política
What makes both governments put an alert on the poorest country in America? Well, on February 7, on the anniversary of the overthrow of former president and dictator Jean Claude Duvalier, thousands of Haitians took to the streets to take advantage of the date and demand the resignation of current President Jovenel Moïse.
According to Caracol Radio, Moïse is accused by Haitians of corruption, of allowing the presence of drug trafficking, the deterioration of public services, the increase of fuel, and the mismanagement of economic funds to grow. In addition, adds the same means, the disgust began in 2018 "when a report of the Superior Court of Accounts confirmed that more than 2000 million dollars for social investment ended in the coffers of 15 former officials of the Haitian government."
However, the protests that have been going on for more than 8 days have left 9 people dead, schools, businesses, and banks closed, as well as the stations that supply fuel, because they fear that more looting will occur in these places.
According to El Tiempo, the demonstrations were called by the Democratic and Popular Sector, "composed of leaders of opposition parties and by popular groups, which have increased insecurity and have caused a climate of chaos and uncertainty."
The Haitian state entity, Office of Citizen Protection, already warned that the protests may lead to a social and humanitarian crisis. According to the statement of the organization defending human rights, "this situation can cause a serious humanitarian crisis that endangers (…) women, children, people with reduced mobility, the sick, injured and the elderly, the most exposed groups to vulnerability in these circumstances."
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International intervention
El Tiempo ensures that the Core Group, composed of "the deputy special representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations, the ambassadors of Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, USA, France, the European Union and the special representative of the OAS", opted for the crisis to be resolved through dialogue. However, no other entity or country has spoken about it, beyond closing its embassies or consulates, such as the Canadian case and the US.
In this regard, President Moïse addressed the population for the first time last Thursday and said he will "fight to restore peace and stability" in the country, and that will not leave "in the hands of armed gangs and drug traffickers". However, it does not seem that their statements diminished the protests, and even several opposition sectors said that with their statements, the situation in the country could worsen.
LatinAmerican Post | Laura Viviana Guevara Muñoz
Translated from "Haití se hunde en la inestabilidad política"
