https://socialistaction.org/2019/03/19/haitians-say-president-must-go/
Haitians say president must go
/ 51 mins ago
HaitiBy MARTY GOODMAN
“We have a little minority (of) rich people in this country, running
this country, earning everything, and we have the mass of the population
dying, hunger, and misery like this. It’s impossible,” said a Haitian
protester, Valckensy Dessin, last month. Feb. 7, 2019, marked 33 years
since nationwide protests forced the 1986 downfall of the U.S.-backed
dictator, Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier.
Haitians were back in the streets for much of February. All major cities
were on fire with protest. Schools, public offices, and private
businesses were closed. Burning tires lit street intersections, gas
stations were torched, and banks trashed.
The demonstrators demanded the ouster of the pro-U.S. businessman,
President Jouvnel Moise. “Moise Must go!” and “Give me the money!”
crowds yelled. Tragically, at least 26 were killed and about 77 injured,
according to UNICEF.
Rage continued over the theft of $4 billion in oil credits from
Venezuela’s “PetroCaribe” program, intended for aid to Haiti’s poor. Two
Haitian Senate reports and another by government auditors, identified
billions stolen from PetroCaribe funds. The reports cited Moise’s
companies and other corrupt elements. The funds came from the 17-nation
PetroCaribe program before imperialist oil sanctions were instituted
against Venezuela. By declaring Venezuela “terrorist,” President Obama
paved the way for Trump’s sanctions.
Haitians were also furious at the Haitian government when it voted in
the Organization of American States on Jan. 10 to condemn Venezuelan
President Nicolas Maduro as “illegitimate”—even after Venezuela’s $4
billion gift!
Today, 60% of Haiti’s population lives in poverty. The World Bank and
its enforcement arm, the IMF, imposes austerity, which resulted in the
doubling of gas prices last July to maintain debt payments. The measure
sparked massive protests. The system is maintained by U.S. support for
corrupt, pro-U.S. regimes and reinforced by years of a U.S.-led UN
occupation. About 1000 troops remain in Haiti today.
In related news, on Oct. 3, 2018, a U.S. District Court prevented
Homeland Security from terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for
some 240,000 TPS recipients from Haiti, Sudan, Nicaragua, and El
Salvador living in the U.S. On Feb. 28, TPS was officially extended
until Jan. 2, 2020. Considering conditions in Haiti, the fight must go
on to protect all TPS recipients from deportation!
Tragically, no opposition force has emerged in Haiti worthy of trust.
The building of a working-class revolutionary party remains top priority
to escape from the boot of capitalist misery.
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March 19, 2019 in Caribbean. Tags: Haiti
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