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
Ecuador declares state of emergency in five provinces to combat organized crime
The Ecuadorian government has declared a state of exception in the provinces of El Oro, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí, and Santa Elena for 60 days to combat organized armed groups amid escalating hostilities, according to Executive Decree 250 published on Tuesday.
The Armed Forces and National Police are jointly working to “maintain sovereignty and the integrity of the state.”
With this measure, the right to inviolability of the home has been suspended, meaning security authorities are permitted to conduct inspections, raids, and searches on properties where they believe members associated with armed groups may be hiding.
Authorities will also seize “materials or instruments” that could be used to commit crimes to neutralize threats.
In response to the criminal activity in the territory, the government will also establish an Anti-Criminal Investigation Force in the coming days aimed at reducing intentional homicides.
The national director of Crimes Against Life, Violent Deaths, Disappearances, Extortion, and Kidnapping of the National Police (Dinased), Freddy Sarzosa, noted that the main cause of criminal violence is linked to drug and arms trafficking.
International
Argentine president criticizes spanish PM amidst political row
Argentine President Javier Milei sharply criticized Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, suggesting he “has more significant issues to address,” in response to comments made by Spain’s Minister of Transport, Óscar Puente, on Friday.
“The government of Pedro Sánchez has more significant issues to deal with, such as the corruption allegations against his wife, a matter that even led him to consider resignation,” stated Argentine President Javier Milei.
In this regard, the Argentine leader expressed his expectation that the judiciary would act “swiftly” in this corruption case, which he mentioned “affects the stability” of Spain and relations between the two nations.
Moreover, Milei accused Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of “endangering” the unity of Spain by “negotiating with separatists,” harming women by “allowing illegal immigration of those who threaten their physical integrity,” and damaging the middle class through “socialist policies that only bring poverty and death.”
The Argentine presidency issued these statements in response to remarks from Spain’s Minister of Transport and Mobility, Óscar Puente, who accused Milei of “substance ingestion,” which the Argentine presidency labeled as “slander and libel.”
“I saw Milei on TV and, hearing him, I couldn’t tell in what state he was in, before or after the ingestion of whatever substances, and he came out to say that and I thought, it’s impossible that he wins the elections, he’s dug his own grave, but no,” Puente declared at a colloquium on communication and social media held this Friday in Salamanca.
International
The death toll of the devastating floods in Kenya amounts to 210
The death toll from the devastating floods caused by the torrential rains that hit Kenya since mid-March amounted to 210, while about 165,500 people have been displaced, the Kenyan Ministry of the Interior reported on Friday.
The total death toll increased after 22 more deaths were confirmed in the last 24 hours, the Ministry said in a statement collected by local media.
Likewise, the injured and missing remain at 125 and 90, respectively, and a total of 196,000 have been affected by the floods throughout the country, immersed in the long rainy season, which has especially hit the center, south and west of its territory.
To respond to this crisis, the Ministry said, the Kenyan authorities have created at least 115 camps distributed in 19 of the 47 counties of Kenya, where more than 27,500 people have taken refuge.
The Government published these data after the Kenyan Minister of the Interior, Kithure Kindiki, urged on Thursday to move all Kenyans who reside in areas vulnerable to landslides or near dams and rivers.
In a message published on social network X late on Thursday, Kindiki pointed out that all neighbors in those areas are “ordered” to “leave these areas immediately” in the next 24 hours, before a “mandatory evacuation” is launched.
“The Government has adopted adequate measures to provide temporary accommodation, as well as essential food and non-food supplies to all those who will be affected by the eviction,” the minister said.
The truth is, however, that, according to the Human Rights Watch (HRW) organization, the Government of Kenya did not act in time or respond adequately to the serious floods, despite the weather predictions it had.
In a statement released on Thursday, the NGO warned that the destruction caused by the rains “has exacerbated socioeconomic vulnerabilities” by more severely hitting the poor population, rural residents, the elderly and people with disabilities.
In the same vein, a report by the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) published on Tuesday pointed out that the storms have aggravated the lack of food in Kenya to the point that about two million Kenyans need food aid.
Severe storms will last at least until next week, and the rains will continue to be intense during this month, according to the prediction of the Department of Meteorology of Kenya.
In recent years, the long rainy season, which runs from March to May and also affects other countries in East Africa, has been intensified by the El Niño weather phenomenon, a change in atmospheric dynamics caused by the increase in the temperature of the Pacific Ocean.
The west, center and south of the country – including the capital, Nairobi – have so far taken the worst part, and the overflow of a river on Monday especially hit Nakuru County, where at least 71 people died as a result of the tragedy.
Ecuador declares state of emergency in five provinces to combat organized crime
Argentine president criticizes spanish PM amidst political row
The death toll of the devastating floods in Kenya amounts to 210
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Ecuador prison riot leaves at least 43 dead
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