Amid perceived power vacuum, dozens vie to be leader

PORT-AU-PRINCE (AP) :

As the public appearances of President Jovenel Moïse fade with Haiti’s deepening political turmoil, dozens of people from political parties old and new are vying to become the country’s next leader as they seize on widespread discontent.

They range from a wealthy businessman with no political experience who owns a chain of grocery stores to veteran opposition leaders trying to gain a stronger foothold in Haiti’s politics.

Moïse still has more than two years left in his term after taking office in February 2017 and says he will not step down, but protesters seeking his resignation vow to continue with violent demonstrations that have shuttered businesses and kept two million children from going to school for nearly a month. Nearly 20 people have died and about 200 injured in protests fuelled by anger over corruption, rising inflation and scarcity of basic goods, including fuel.

“It’s a completely dysfunctional country,” said Benzico Pierre with the Center for the Promotion of Democracy and Participatory Education, a Haitian think tank. “There’s no trust in the institutions.”

It’s a concern that Carl Murat Cantave, president of Haiti’s Senate, acknowledged in a speech televised Tuesday as he warned that Haiti’s crisis is “rotting”.

He urged Moïse to launch a dialogue and said all the options should be placed on the table.

“The country needs a genuine re-engineering so it can move forward because everyone is failing as a leader,” he said in Creole. “Only the people right now have legitimacy.”

Hours after Cantave’s speech, Moïse’s office issued a statement saying he had named seven people charged with leading discussions to find a solution to help end the crisis. Among them is former prime minister Evans Paul, who recently told The Associated Press that he believes Moïse has several options, including nominating an opposition-backed prime minister and shortening his mandate.

On Wednesday, opposition leaders rejected Moïse’s statement and said they were organising another large protest for Friday.

Functioning gov’t

In her first public comments on Haiti’s current situation, US Ambassador Michele Sison told the AP that the country needs a functioning government that can address people’s pressing needs. She urged all elected leaders, including Haiti’s president, senators and deputies, to work together to identify and agree on a peaceful way forward.

“We’re urging the various stakeholders to enter into dialogue in good faith, a dialogue launched and led by Haitians,” she said.

Moïse also called for dialogue and unity nearly two weeks ago during a televised speech broadcast at 2 a.m., further angering Haitians. He hasn’t spoken in public yet and only briefly appeared in front of a business called Nick’s Exterminating last Thursday to shake hands with a handful of vendors in the capital of Port-au-Prince before his convoy sped away.

Opposition leaders have rejected any suggestion of dialogue, saying they want Moïse to step down immediately.