The designations on Tuesday April 30 within the Presidential Council triggered a series of political reactions and sparked debates within the Haitian political class. Differences of opinion and tensions between the different political actors of the transition continue to intensify. Montana and Fanmi Lavalas have just cried conspiracy after the appointment of Edgard Leblanc Fils and Fritz Belizaire as respectively president and prime minister of the Presidential Council. A situation which raises fears of the implosion of the newly installed transition organ.
The political agreement of April 3, 2024, signed by various political factions and civil society actors, established a framework for the establishment of the presidential council. However, recent appointments within the transitional body have been criticized for having violated, according to stakeholders, the principles and clauses of this agreement, thus triggering a wave of criticism.
Fanmi Lavalas and the Montana Accord, two major political structures in Haiti, strongly protested against the decision of the majority within the CPT to appoint Edgard LeBlanc and Fritz Belizaire as president and prime minister respectively. They claim that these appointments do not respect the provisions of the April 3 political agreement and represent a flagrant violation of the principles established for the transition.
The Monitoring Office (BSA) of the Montana agreement in a statement without the signature of Fritz Alphonse Jean, expressed its opposition to what it calls a “so-called consensus” reached by the group of four members of the CPT. The BSA denounced the designation of Le Blanc and Belizaire, arguing that there was no consensus.
Montana described the actions of the groups forming the majority within the Transitional Presidential Council as unethical. He believes that these actions are aimed at sharing power and the privileges that come with it like a “cake”. Montana invites these actors to pull themselves together while informing that he is meeting to reflect on the follow-up to be given to this matter. He indicates that he will not condone abuses within the CPT.
Fanmi Lavalas had almost the same story. The party of Jean Bertrand Aristide describes as a “masquerade” the ceremony of April 30 where Edgard Leblanc Fils and Fritz Bélizaire were designated. For Lavalas, it is a “plot” aimed at perpetuating the reign of the PHTK regime while continuing “the tradition of corruption”.
These political reactions highlight the deep divisions and persistent rivalries within the Haitian political class. As the country seeks to emerge from the doldrums it finds itself in, disagreements and the risk of a breakup in the CPT raise questions about the country’s ability to achieve lasting political consensus.
It is important to note that despite these protests, many political sectors welcomed the choice of Edgard LeBlanc as President of the Council. However, some are calling for a review of the process for appointing the prime minister.
By: Daniel Zéphyr
