The designation of Edgard Leblanc Fils as president of the Presidential Transitional Council in Haiti and of Fritz Belizaire as Prime Minister this Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at the Villa d’Accueil by the 4 majority members of the CPT triggered a wave of discontent and protest among various sectors as well as political figures.
The Montana Agreement Monitoring Office (BSA) for its part expressed its dissatisfaction in a public note issued this Tuesday, April 30 concerning the appointment of Edgard Leblanc Fils as president and Fritz Belizaire as Prime Minister of the Presidential Transitional Council .
This decision, according to the BSA, was taken unilaterally by a coalition made up of four sectors, in flagrant violation of the Political Agreement of April 3. According to the office, this action compromises the commitments made to the population and undermines the participatory mechanisms provided for by the agreement.
The incriminated coalition, bringing together the Collective of January 30, EDE/RED/Historical Compromise, Pitit Dessalines and the December 21 Agreement, is accused of politicizing without ethics and of publicly betraying the principles of the April 3 agreement. According to the BSA, this reveals attempts by political and economic forces to monopolize power from the transition and perpetuate the privileges of a traditional elite.
Leslie Voltaire, representative of Fanmi Lavalas on the Presidential Transitional Council, described the choice of the President of the Council and the Prime Minister on April 30 as a “coup de theatre”. “There was no consensus on the choice of Edgard Leblanc Fils as President of the Council nor on Fritz Bélizaire as Prime Minister,” he told the newspaper Le Nouvelliste.
For his part, former deputy Antoine Rodon Bien-Aimé de Compromis historique, signatory of the April 3 Agreement, also denounces the way in which Fritz Bélizaire was designated as Prime Minister by the group of four at the Presidential Transitional Council. He demands strict implementation of the agreement regarding the process of appointing the Prime Minister.
The political party Fanmi Lavalas published a note this Wednesday, May 1, 2024, describing the events of Tuesday, April 30 at the Villa d’Accueil as “maskarad”, without specifying whether this is the designation of the ex-senator Edgard Leblanc Jr. as President of the Transitional Presidential Council or that of Fritz Belizaire as Prime Minister. Furthermore, Fanmi Lavalas denounces a perceived attempt by PHTK and its allies to maintain power through this transition, as mentioned in the published note.
A document received by our editorial staff and signed by the four members of the Presidential Council who chose the new Prime Minister states that they agreed to make decisions by consensus, the document is entitled “Constitution of an indissoluble majority bloc within the Presidential Council.
According to available information, members of the Presidential Council who oppose the appointment of Friz Bélizaire as Prime Minister are now considering different options, including opposing the decision or resigning from the council.
