Haiti prime minister ousts top officials amid growing crisis

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry has dismissed three high-ranking government officials, aggravating the deep political crisis the Caribbean country is undergoing.

Government Commissioner Jacques Lafontant was the first one to be fired by Justice Minister Berto Dorce on Nov. 11, “for serious administrative faults”, according to the Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste.

“The Prime Minister, Dr. Ariel Henry has sent me a new complaint against you,” the minister of justice explained. “This new file is added to the long list of those denouncing your acts of corruption, embezzlement and abuse of authority.”

On Monday, local media reported that Justice Minister Berto Dorce himself was removed from office along with Interior Minister Liszt Quitel. According to the official daily Le Moniteur, Henry was appointed as acting Minister of the Interior and Culture Minister Emmelie Prophete was named as justice minister.

Henry did not explain why he dismissed the two officials.

​​ The actions come days after the US government announced it will pull visas belonging to current and former Haitian government officials involved with criminal organizations.

Clashes between armed gangs have already left hundreds of people dead in the country and driven thousands to flee the violence in Port-au-Prince.

The crisis and chaos have intensified in Haiti over the past few days after blockades by criminal gangs have caused shortages of food, water and fuel, just as the country deals with a cholera outbreak.

Henry called on the international community to provide assistance to the nation, as it grapples with a social, political and humanitarian crisis.