Haitian Prime Minister Ousted Amid Escalating Security Crisis

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille has been dismissed from office less than six months after his appointment, according to an executive order signed by eight of the nine members of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC).

The council named Alix Didier Fils-Aime, a businessman and former Senate candidate, as Conille’s successor.

Conille, a former United Nations official sworn in on June 3, was tasked with leading Haiti through its worst security crisis in years, as gang violence has left much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, in turmoil.

In a letter to local media, he condemned the move as “illegal” and argued that his dismissal raises “serious concerns” about Haiti’s constitutional order and its future.

According to Haiti’s constitution, a sitting prime minister can only be removed by parliament—an institution that has been inactive amid a prolonged political crisis.

“This resolution, taken outside any legal and constitutional framework, raises serious concerns about its legitimacy,” Conille wrote, adding that the unilateral move by the TPC “sets a dangerous precedent.”

The TPC, formed in April, was itself a response to the nation’s security crisis.

The council took shape following the ousting of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was forced out in February after a network of gangs seized control of key parts of Port-au-Prince, including the international airport, blocking Henry from re-entering the country.

Since January, violence across Haiti has resulted in over 3,600 deaths, with more than 500,000 people displaced.

The United Nations reports that nearly half of the population now faces food insecurity, with two million Haitians experiencing emergency levels of hunger.

The country has struggled without a sitting president or functioning parliament since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.

Jimmy Chérizier, a gang leader known as “Barbecue,” has publicly suggested that he would consider ending the violence if armed groups are permitted to participate in negotiations to establish a new government.

The political vacuum left by Moïse’s murder has emboldened gang leaders like Chérizier, whose forces now control swathes of the capital and other areas.

In a recent move to restore order, Kenya has deployed hundreds of police officers to assist Haitian authorities, with additional support expected in the coming months.

However, with no clear path to a presidential election—Haiti’s last presidential vote took place in 2016—the question of democratic restoration remains uncertain as the Caribbean nation grapples with severe humanitarian and security crises.

The TPC, initially tasked with guiding the country toward a long-delayed presidential election, now faces renewed scrutiny over its mandate and the limits of its authority.

Meanwhile, Conille’s removal has deepened concerns over Haiti’s path forward as residents contend with unprecedented levels of violence, displacement, and hunger.