Haiti has descended into chaos days after the resignation of its prime minister as gang leaders terrorize city residents.
Gangs that control much of the city, Port-au-Prince, launched an armed campaign nearly two weeks ago, claiming they intended to depose Prime Minister Ariel Henry, plunging the country into violent strife and warning of famine and civil war.
Henry agreed to step down following an emergency conference Monday that included US, UN, and Caribbean leaders, among others, and resulted in a plan for Haitians to form a governing Transitional Presidential Council until elections can be held.
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A powerful Haitian gang boss, Jimmy Cherizier, "Barbecue," claimed Wednesday that his coalition of armed gangs "does not care about Ariel Henry's resignation."
"We are going to continue the fight for Haiti's liberation," the former policeman under UN sanctions told Spanish-language network W Radio.
Haiti hasn't held a general election since 2016, and no president or parliament is now. President Jovenel Moise, who was slain in 2021, was not replaced, leaving Henry to control the country.
Henry has been stranded in Puerto Rico following a trip to Kenya, where he intended to finalize details on a plan for Nairobi to lead a UN-approved police force to restore order in Haiti.
He declared late Monday that he would leave when the transitional council is formed.
Guyanese President Irfaan Ali, who oversees the regional organization CARICOM, stated that the crisis in Haiti was likely beyond the capacity of Caribbean forces.
"The situation in Haiti tells you how ill-prepared we were as a region," he said at a University of Guyana event in Georgetown. "We are now scrambling to put together joint command, joint operation."
