Martelly’s corruption and gang involvement were widely known, yet in his years in power he enjoyed staunch US support. As a recent Foreign Policy article noted, “Despite the long-standing allegations against Martelly, the United States maintained a warm relationship with him for years.” It goes on to explain that the sanctions against Martelly are the product of immediate political concerns—that Martelly’s plans for a political comeback could destabilize the transitional government of “national unity” the US-stitched together earlier this year to provide a fig-leaf of popular Haitian support for the foreign police-military intervention it was organizing.
As was shown by the release of emails under the Freedom of Information Act in 2016, Hillary Clinton’s US State Department intervened heavily in the 2010-2011 presidential election in Haiti and effectively ensured the victory of Martelly. Once in power, Martelly’s presidency saw corruption, suppression of local democratic processes, and the reestablishment of the Haitian army.
In 2015/16, the Obama administration and the newly elected Trudeau government manipulated Haiti’s election process to install Martell’s protégé, Moïse, as president. With the imperialists’ support, the latter imposed yet further IMF austerity, while trying to arrogate additional powers, and refusing to call new elections.
Protesters calling for the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry run after police fired tear gas to disperse them in the Delmas area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Oct. 10, 2022. [AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph]
Following Moïses assassination in 2021, in what appears to have been a settling of accounts among rival bourgeois factions and criminal gang-sponsors, Washington, backed by Canada and the other imperialist powers—the so-called Core Group—imposed Ariel Henry as the un-elected head of Haiti’s government and de facto dictator.
However, in February, the US turned on Henry, having concluded he had become a liability and removed him from office. It effectively kidnapped him as he returned from Kenya, having signed the security agreement that allowed for Kenya forces to lead the current police-military stabilization mission.
Henry has been replaced by an imperialist-sponsored “Transitional Council,” another unelected body, created with representatives from Haiti’s elite and civil society, including forces which formerly presented themselves as opponents of imperialism, like Aristide’s Fanmi Lavalas. This Transitional Council is now tasked with organizing new elections by early 2026, which will no doubt once more be closely “supervised” by the imperialist powers.
According to recent Haitian media reports, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Haiti in the next few days to hold meetings with Edgard Leblanc Fils, the Chairman of the Transitional Council, and Prime Minister Garry Conille.
Whatever political constellation results from the “transitional” process, it can be certain its members will be beholden to imperialism and the Haitian bourgeoisie and have corrupt links to the criminal gangs.
Last Tuesday, Haiti’s anti-corruption agency launched a new crackdown on government corruption, accusing high-ranking officials of crimes such as illicit enrichment and abuse of office. The investigations revealed significant misuse of funds and resources, including cases where food meant for public school students was diverted and government fuel was used for personal benefit. Among the accused is the former minister of planification and external cooperation, Aviol Fleurant. There can be no doubt that this largely demonstrative crackdown only represents the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Haitian elite’s criminality.
Haiti’s crisis is an extreme and highly concentrated manifestation of the crisis of capitalism as a whole. There is an intrinsic and direct link between the weak Haitian bourgeoisie’s incapacity to rule within the bounds of democratic legality, and its complete dependence on imperialism to maintain its rule and safeguard its ill-gotten wealth.
Sign up for the WSWS email newsletter
Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=66d90e25a8944b97aa014930f0d4d206&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsws.org%2Fen%2Farticles%2F2024%2F09%2F05%2Flkxr-s05.html&c=13160740027758388598&mkt=en-us
Author :
Publish date : 2024-09-04 14:23:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
