Thousands have demonstrated in Haitian cities for months, calling for Henry’s resignation after he arbitrarily rejected the transfer of power to a provisional government and decided to stay in power after his mandate expired in February. Those demonstrations have intensified in recent days after Henry appealed to the international community to help him restore order.
“Down with Ariel! Down with Occupation!” protesters chanted outside the prime minister’s residence in Port-au-Prince on October 10, according to local media. “Down with Intervention! Down with the traitors! Prepare your weapons, the revolution has begun!”
According to the protesters, the new intervention is not aimed at suppressing violent criminal gangs or at alleviating other public health issues, such as a cholera outbreak, but rather to keep in power their hand-picked successor to President Jovenel Moise, who was assassinated last year.
Haitian diaspora groups have joined up with anti-war groups in the United States to protest in Washington, DC, and other cities against the sending of US or other foreign troops as well.
However, despite the magnitude of these demonstrations, almost no Western media has reported on them, aside from outlets specializing in Haitian news. Instead, they have focused on the drama playing out between Henry’s government, the United Nations, and a group of international diplomats colloquially known as the “Core Group,” which includes the US, European Union, Brazil, and several other countries.
Henry Seeks UN Help
Henry’s appeal for international help on October 5 comes after the country’s primary fuel terminal was blockaded by gangs, creating a severe shortage of fuel and related products, such as potable water and food, and hospitals that rely on diesel generators for electricity. On October 10, Henry explicitly asked for troops to be sent to Haiti, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed his calls to the UN Security Council.
Over the weekend, American and Canadian armored vehicles arrived by aircraft in Haiti, to be given to Henry’s police forces. However, critics have said that like past weapons shipments, these will only fall into the hands of the gangs they are supposedly to be used to fight, or otherwise be used to suppress popular pro-democracy demonstrations, as happened under Moise.
Haiti's designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry, center, and interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, right, pose for a group photo with other authorities in front of a portrait of late Haitian President Jovenel Moise at at the National Pantheon Museum during a memorial service in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, July 20, 2021.
© AP Photo / Joseph Odelyn
Henry came to power by a complex sequence of events, which many suspect he played a part in causing to unfold. On July 5, 2021, Moise picked Henry to be the next prime minister, but just three days later, Moise was assassinated in his home by a group of gunmen that included mostly Colombian ex-soldiers, but also two Americans.
Henry attempted to form a new government amid the chaos, basing his claim to power on his informal selection by Moise days earlier. However, the man who was still prime minister at the time, Claude Joseph, also formed his own government, enjoying the backing of the military. To add to the chaos, Haiti’s rump Senate appointed a third man, Joseph Lambert, as prime minister.. However, on July 17, the Core Group picked Henry as the prime minister instead of Joseph.
Formerly a colony of France known as San Domingue, Haiti became independent in 1804 following a massive uprising of African slaves, who established the world’s first Black republic on the model of the French Revolution. However, surrounded by colonial powers whose economies were based on the labor of enslaved Africans, Haiti became a pariah state and remained impoverished and unable to recover from the brutal colonial war that had won its freedom. In the 20th century, the United States invaded Haiti numerous times, occupying the country for many years and installing leaders whose policies suited American businesses.