The emergency ruling council that will govern Haiti in the coming weeks has issued its first statement, vowing to pursue “public and democratic order” for a nation in crisis.
The presidential council has yet to be formally established because of wrangling over who will take its ninth seat but it is the closest thing Haiti has to a government.
“We are determined to alleviate the suffering of the Haitian people, trapped for too long between bad governance, multi-faceted violence and disregard for their perspectives and needs,” the statement read.
Ariel Henry, who has led the Caribbean nation as prime minister since the assassination in 2021 of its last president, Jovenel Moise, agreed this month that he would step down once the transitional council was established.