Haiti’s government formally ratified a presidential transition council on Friday — but the long-delayed move is only the first step in a fraught path out of the country’s political paralysis.
“Questions remain over whether the US-backed interim government—dubbed a Presidential Transitional Council—will be able to impose its authority over well-armed gangs that control much of the capital Port-au-Prince,” reports France 24.
The new council will need to be sworn in — the government decree stipulates the council be headquartered in the National Palace, which has been the target of attacks by armed groups. The nine-member council will then need to choose a president from among the seven representatives with voting power. And then select a replacement for outgoing Prime Minister Ariel Henry, reports the Miami Herald.
The nine groups named by CARICOM — the international group that has spearheaded efforts for a transition in Haiti — have all put forward council candidates, but their nominations have yet to be formalized despite frequent pledges that such an announcement was near, reports Reuters.
A month ago, Henry announced that he would resign once the presidential council is installed. But under the decree published Friday, Henry and his government will remain in power until a new prime minister is named.
While an election date hasn’t been set, the decree stated that the president-elect must be sworn-in on Feb. 7, 2026 at the latest, and that the council will exercise presidential powers until then. (Associated Press)
“The members of this council have to figure out what their role is. The criticism coming out of Haiti is that they’ve given themselves an enormous amount of power that, constitutionally, the president would normally have. For instance, they’ve said they will hire the next prime minister, which is usually the purview of a parliament. Another concern is who should be in charge,” Miami Herald correspondent Jacqueline Charles told Foreign Policy.
See also: New York Times
Migration
A rape accusation by a Haitian girl has ignited a furor in the Dominican Republic — it is second time in less than a year a Haitian migrant is accusing a Dominican immigration agent of sexual assault, reports the Miami Herald.
A new Meganalisis poll released last week shows that 40% of Venezuelans would consider leaving the country Nicolás Maduro is declared the winner of July’s presidential election, reports the Miami Herald. More than 7.7 million Venezuelans, equivalent to about 20% of the population, have already left the country.
“A growing number of Haitians, dreaming of a better future, make their home in Mexico City: More than 44,000 refugees from the Caribbean country requested asylum in Mexico in 2023. Many of them have found employment in the food industry and in the large markets of the capital,” reports El País. (Via Americas Migration Brief)
Cindy Regidor explores at Confidencial the issue of xenophobia against Nicaraguans in Costa Rica, additionally highlighting their important role in the economy and calling for “a massive legalization of status so that authorities could have an exact and complete record of who lives in the country.” (Via Americas Migration Brief)
Regional Relations
China’s reaction to setbacks to two major projects in Latin America “will shape its future relations with Latin America,” writes James Bosworth in World Politics Review. “If it responds with grace and transparency, regional governments will likely appreciate China’s diplomacy, leading relations to improve across the board. If it responds with demands and pressure, Latin America will see China as a new imperialist actor trying to exert its will over the region’s sovereignty.”
Manuel Rocha, a former U.S. career diplomat was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in federal prison after admitting he worked for decades as a secret agent for Cuba. The plea agreement “averted a trial that would have shed new light on what, exactly, Rocha did to help Cuba even as he worked for two decades for the US state department,” reports the Associated Press.
The thorny cases of Venezuela and Ecuador are challenges for neighboring Colombia’s aspirations at diplomatic leadership, according to El País.
Brazil
Robert Muggah outlines a security paradox in Brazil: homicide rates have fallen to record lows but “recent surveys show that 36% of respondents believe that violence actually increased since Lula took office and two thirds of Brazilians are still afraid of walking alone at night,” he writes in Americas Quarterly.
Argentina
An Argentine federal appeals court blamed Hezbollah and Iran of masterminding 1990s terrorist attacks in Buenos Aires, in a ruling on convoluted legal proceedings that have thwarted efforts at justice. The ruling was celebrated by the Jewish community and Israeli diplomats, but the reference to Iran is not related to the actual case which was in relation to an Argentine citizen who sold the vehicle used for the 1994 AMIA attack. (Raúl Kollman)
“The court failed to provide concrete evidence of Iran’s direct involvement or shed new light on the case after 30 years of setbacks and scandals. The original investigation of the AMIA bombing was plagued by incompetence and allegations that detectives bribed witnesses and attempted to bury leads,” reports the Guardian.
Regional
Central American forests are ablaze — fires have significantly increased in the first few months of this year, over the same period last year. Nicaragua is particularly affected, reports El País.
Colombia
A number of robberies and assaults of cyclists this year have left many riders in Bogotá — a global cycling capital — on edge, reports the New York Times.
Peru
A Peruvian judicial probe on investigative journalist Gustavo Gorriti is aimed at forcing him to reveal his sources, and has been denounced by a number of press organizations — including Reporters without Borders, last week. RSF said the move is aimed at silencing investigative reporters who expose corruption, and is politically motivated. (IDL Reporteros)
A Peruvian-born U.S. congressman is challenging fashion house Loro Piana to explain the low prices it pays Peruvian Indigenous people who harvest vicuña wool — New York Times.
Brazil
A Brazilian federal prosecutor has petitioned the national government to make reparation for the treatment endured by João Cândido, a Black Brazilian sailor who led an unprecedented 1910 mutiny against abuse by white officers, and helped end flogging in the country’s navy, reports the Guardian.
Critter Corner
Squat lobsters, bright red sea toads and deep-sea dragon fish were among more than 160 previously unseen species spotted on a recent expedition exploring an underwater mountain range off of Chile. At least 50 of those species are likely to be new to science.