'With the introduction of this international force, we will be able to get them to elections. That’s what success looks like,' the head of US Dept of State INL, told Miami Herald.

Less than 1/4 of Haitians trust elections. It's not only security. A vote can't just be a box to ✅ (again).

One of Guy Philippe's close advisors today is Antoine Fernand Saint Surin, a former police officer trained in Ecuador like Philippe.

Saint Surin was arrested in 2009 on drug trafficking charges and spent a decade+ in jail. He was released in 2022.

On May 16, I'll be at Red Emma's in Baltimore to talk about AID STATE and all things Haiti with Katia Ulysse. Join us!
redemmas.org/events/jake-jo…

So many events coming up here, starting with Ruha Benjamin tonight.

And then Bria Price Silky Shah Sol J Brager Mary Annaïse Heglar Steven Salaita DW Gibson (dwgibson4 @ Threads) Robin Bernstein Manisha Sinha Caroline Shenaz Hossein The Dougla Jake Johnston Black Alliance for Peace and more...

Full list and RSVP here: redemmas.org/events/

Politics as usual won't work for Haiti's new presidential council.

But it is a great Jay-Z song.
youtube.com/watch?v=pUGLfN…

It took the new head of the presidential council less than 5 minutes to threaten its very existence. twitter.com/melindayiti/st…

The naming of Bélizaire immediately threatened a new crisis. 3 voting council members and their groups —Fanmi Lavalas, Montana Coalition & private sector — accused fellow members of violating their own procedures & threatened to leave the council if the decision wasn’t reversed.

'Belizaire is little known and even some members of the council didn’t know him.' apnews.com/article/haiti-…

Former Senate President Edgard Leblanc Fils is the new president of the presidential council in a deal and they have proposed a prime minister Fritz Belizaire. #Haiti

The US and Kenya plan to have the first troops in Haiti by the time President Ruto arrives in Washington, DC for his May 23 state visit — the first for an African head of state since 2008.

A lot of Americans are unaware of how our country and our leaders have subverted Haitian democracy.

I wrote about a pivotal instance of US & foreign interference: the election of 2010-11, in which the intl community blatantly and clumsily meddled.
nybooks.com/online/2024/04…

Haiti's new presidential council faces a mountain of skepticism.

Its credibility will not come from a ceremony, nor press release from a foreign power.

It will be earned through action.

'What has been clear throughout Haiti’s bumpy ride is the failure of the US to be a true ally to Haiti. For 3 years, Haitians have been pleading with Department of State to stop propping up Dr Ariel Henry, who governed without a constitutional or popular mandate.' Ruthzee Louijeune

The nine members of the transitional presidential council were installed this morning at the National Palace.

Ariel Henry has formally resigned.

On April 2, Barbecue blamed residents in Delmas 3 & 5 for the death of some of his men.

For the last 3 weeks, attacks on the neighborhood have continued. Homes burned, families forced to flee.

'I don’t care whose house it is, burn all of the homes, set them on fire!' he said.

The MSS is generally framed as an effort to build capacity and strengthen the Haitian police. But in the 32-page planning document sent to US Congress last month, this is the most specific section on 'capacity building.'

#Kenya - Chief Inspector Joel Warui Githaiga and #Police Constable Martin Murimi from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit Sondu Camp have been arrested for allegedly selling ammunition to criminals. kbc.co.ke/two-police-off…

The State Department has awarded two contracts worth nearly $900,000 for police advisors for the Haiti MSS ... seemingly based at a 'support office in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.'