translated from Spanish: Haiti to extend the transition made after the assassination of President Moise by another year

The agreement was signed by Prime Minister Ariel Henry and the main opposition parties and provides for elections to be held by the end of 2022 and the assumption of the new authorities in early 2023, one year after the previously scheduled deadline. In this transitional period, power will be exercised by a unity government headed by Henry, which will be “essentially non-partisan” and whose members will be appointed within eight days.” “In a ceremony at his official residence, Prime Minister Ariel Henry described the deal as “ambitious and promising” and said it represents a “break” with the past. I am sure that this agreement will allow to conduct, in harmony and good understanding, the affairs of the State during the provisional period, which I wish to be as short as possible,” Henry told the signatories. The common goal, Henry stressed, is “a return to the normal functioning” of democratic institutions “with new foundations, in a safe and stable environment.” The so-called “Political Agreement for a peaceful and effective governance of the interim period” was signed, among others, by the leftist Democratic and Popular Sector (SDP), one of the main drivers of the constant protests that destabilized the Government of President Moise.The social democratic parties Fusion, Inite, Entente Nacional and the Political Directorate of the Democratic Opposition (Dirpod) have also joined. among others, and the agreement will remain “open” so that other political and civil society organizations can join.A NEW CONSTITUTIONOne of the most important points of the agreement contemplates the creation of a national constituent assembly, which will be formed by 33 members, appointed by various institutions and organizations of society civil.La assembly will have a period of three months to prepare the draft Magna Carta, which will be submitted for ratification by the Haitian people. But in its work it will not start from scratch and will take into account the work of the committee of experts appointed by Moise before his death and which had already prepared a preliminary draft of the new Constitution.Only once the new Constitution enters into force will the elections be organized, which after the assassination were postponed from September to November 7 and now, According to the new forecasts, they will take place at the end of 2022.THE DEMANDS OF THE OPPOSITIONThe main function of the Government will be the creation of the necessary conditions for the holding of the elections, which implies, on the one hand, the recovery of the southern region of the country, devastated by the powerful earthquake of last August 14. The signatories have also pledged to reinforce the fight against the armed gangs that control several neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, sowing terror daily with kidnappings and murders. The opposition has also forced to include clauses in the agreement that oblige the Government to promote the investigation of several massacres that occurred in popular neighborhoods in the last two years, attributed to armed gangs related to the Government.Also, the agreement provides for the investigation of corruption cases, especially the case of the theft of funds from the Venezuelan aid program Petrocaribe, as well as the “release of political prisoners,” in the words of André Michel, leader of the leftist SDP. Michel said that for his organization, born of popular opposition, it has been “painful” to make the decision to sign the agreement, but assured that they have “understood that it is time to build this country.” EFE



Original source in Spanish

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