International
Disagreements make it difficult to elect the members of the transitional council in Haiti
Internal disagreements made it difficult on Wednesday to elect the members who will make up the transitional presidential council in Haiti and, even, one of the main parties involved, the Pitit Dessaline, announced that he will not send a representative to that institution.
The creation of the transition council is the result of last Monday’s meeting in the capital of Jamaica, convened by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to seek a solution to the extreme situation in Haiti and in which representatives of Haitians, the UN and international partners, including the United States, also participated, with its Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the helm.
After that appointment, the Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, who is in Puerto Rico after staying several days in unknown whereabouts, announced in a message to the nation his resignation from office as soon as the presidential council is constituted because, he said, “no sacrifice is too great” for the country, which “needs peace, stability and lasting development.”
This Wednesday, at a press conference, the leader of Pitit Dessaline, former Senator Jean Charles Moise, announced that his political formation rejects the initiative of the transitional council and will not send a representative, despite being one of the movements, forces and sectors of civil society that should appoint the seven members who will make up the institution along with two observers.
The Pitit Dessalines (Descendants of Dessalines) is a left-wing formation that emerged in February 2017 that is declared open to all those who “share the ideal of Dessalines until the end” (Jean-Jacques Dessalines, father of the independence of Haiti).
This was one of the entities that should designate the components of the presidential council together with the January 30 Collective, Montana Agreement, December 21 Agreement, EDE/RED, the Fanmi Lavalas party and the Private Sector, while the observers will represent the Regrouping by a National and Sovereign Entente (REN) and the Diaspora of Haitians residing abroad.
These actors and formations practically reflect the different sectors of national life in Haiti.
But, in the face of the disagreements that have arisen internally, many of those movements have not yet sent the names of those who will be part of the institution, which must agree on the appointment of an interim prime minister and will prepare the way for the holding of presidential elections.
At the moment, only some of the chosen names have been known, such as that of Edgard Leblanc Fils, of the January 30 Collective.
In addition to the disagreements registered internally, the appointment of representatives may be delayed because some of the people who would be appointed run the risk of having the status of ineligible by not having declared their property.
On Tuesday, the United States considered that the transitional council could be formed in 24 or 48 hours and showed its desire that the appointment of an interim prime minister take place “without delay.”
Several voices were raised against the pact reached at the Caricom meeting, including that of former rebel leader Guy Philippe, who will not be able to be on the presidential council due to a money laundering sentence in the United States.
Before the agreement reached in Jamaica was known, Jimmy Chérizier, alias Barbecue, on behalf of the coalition of armed bands ‘Vivre Ensemble’ (Living Together), also rejected the negotiations of the international community because it is the Haitian people “who must take fate in their hands” and showed their opposition to foreign forces.
On Tuesday, dozens of people demonstrated, with banners and barricades on fire, in front of the embassy in Port-au-Prince of Canada, one of the key foreign actors in the country along with the United States and France, against the transitional presidential council.
Violence increased exponentially in Haiti after it was known on February 28 that Henry had pledged to hold elections before the end of August 2025, despite the fact that in 2022 he reached an agreement with parties, civil society organizations and members of the private sector to leave power on February 7, 2024, which did not happen.
The powerful armed gangs then increased their actions against institutions, companies and prisons, from which more than 3,000 prisoners fled, including members and leaders of gangs, and tried to attack, unsuccessfully, the National Palace and the Ministry of Justice, despite the state of emergency and the curfew in force in the department of the West, where Port-au-Prince is located.
Haiti is awaiting the deployment of the multinational security support mission approved by the UN and led by Kenya, whose president, William Ruto, reaffirmed on Wednesday his country’s commitment to lead that force once the transitional council is appointed.
International
UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions
The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.
According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.
Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.
The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.
“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.
While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.
To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.
Central America
El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program
The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.
Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.
The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.
According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.
In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.
International
Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela
Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.
In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.
“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.
For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.
“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.
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