Haiti's new leaders wanted to take power in the presidential palace. Then reality hit

In anticipation of a possible ceremony at the palace, Haiti National Police had beefed up security around the Champs de Mars, the public square across from the palace that has become a battlefield in gangs’ attempts to take the palace. But even those measures didn’t stop armed gangs on Monday. Following the delegation’s departure, police engaged in an hours-long exchange of gunfire.

After launching their attacks nearly two months ago, armed groups have called for the ouster of Henry, a neurosurgeon who was tapped by Moïse to run the country’s day-to-day operations. In the wake of the presidential assassination he failed to stop Haiti’s descent into anarchy. Even though Henry announced on March 11 that he will step down, the armed attacks have continued, and some gang leaders have vowed to disrupt the installation ceremony to block the new leaders from taking office.

The exact details of Thursday’s ceremony are still unfolding. But for now, the panel’s two non-voting observers, representing the interfaith community and civil society, will give an address to the nation after the swearing in. Following the ceremony, the council is expected to finally vote for a president to lead the group.

Within 24 hours of Thursday’s ceremony, Voltaire says he hopes to have the new U.S. and Spanish ambassadors — who recently arrived in Haiti amid the ongoing chaos — officially present their credentials to the new government.

Then comes the difficult task of choosing a prime minister to replace Henry.

Though no official list of candidates exists, individuals have been quietly making calls and seeking support from both the council members and the various sectors involved in the transition. Prospective candidates include former government ministers, jurists and retired technocrats who worked at international financing institutions.

“We will analyze their (résumés) over three days and we will choose two or three to interview,” Voltaire said. “We can say that by May 1 we can have a prime minister and by May 5 we can have a government with a cabinet.”

Voltaire’s timetable could be a bit optimistic, given that it’s been more than a month since Caribbean leaders met in Jamaica to broker the transition plan, and it’s only now that the group is being installed.

The presidential panel itself has struggled to find common ground, which hasn’t gone unnoticed by Haitians, many of whom remain skeptical that, after years of being adversaries, such a disparate group can now come together to lift Haiti out of the worsening security and humanitarian crisis.

Jerry Tardieu, a former member of the Lower Chamber of Deputies, said as long as the provisions of the group’s political agreement for a peaceful and orderly transition are respected, he sees a path out of the crisis.

“We will never have total political consensus, but we should have at least a minimal and sufficient one,” said Tardieu, whose political party, En Avant, was involved in the negotiations setting up the transition. “It can give us a road map to elections after restoring security and reforming the constitution.”

Voltaire, seemingly unfazed by the doubters, turns to history, citing the moment a union of former slaves and mixed-raced Haitian natives successfully defeated the French, coming together to end slavery and create the world’s first Black Republic on Jan. 1, 1804.

“Tomorrow is another 1803,” he said. “For the first time in the 21st century, adversaries, enemies and allies have put their heads together to do a historic compromise to put Haiti back on track and so that they can work on security and provide hope that will lead to an elected and legitimate government that will work for the development of Haiti.”

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