Haiti’s Transitional Council Fires PM Garry Conille

Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille has been dismissed by the nation’s ruling council, less than six months into his tenure.

The executive order for his removal, signed by eight of the council’s nine members, appointed businessman and former Senate candidate Alix Didier Fils-Aime as his successor.

Conille, a former United Nations official brought in to guide Haiti through its escalating gang-led security crisis, was expected to lead the country toward its first presidential elections since 2016.

In response to his ousting, Conille called the decision “illegal” and questioned its legitimacy, expressing “serious concerns” about Haiti’s political future.

“This resolution, taken outside any legal and constitutional framework, raises serious concerns about its legitimacy,” Conille wrote in a letter condemning the move.

With no sitting president or parliament, Haiti’s constitution designates only parliament the authority to remove a prime minister.

Conille, sworn in on June 3, was appointed as Haiti appeared ready to hold its first elections in years.

The transitional presidential council (TPC), formed in April following the forced resignation of Conille’s predecessor Ariel Henry, was established to restore democratic stability to Haiti amid widespread violence.

Henry was barred from re-entering Haiti after a summit in February 2024, as armed gangs seized control of the capital’s airport.

The TPC was thus tasked with re-establishing governance in a nation where gang violence has surged unchecked.

According to the UN, more than 3,600 people have died, and over 500,000 have been displaced due to ongoing violence in Haiti, one of the world’s poorest countries. Millions face hunger, with nearly half the population struggling to find enough food.