Haiti replaces prime minister, marking more turmoil in its democratic transition process

A transitionary council created to reestablish democratic order in Haiti signed a degree on Sunday firing the country’s interim Prime Minister Garry Conille and replacing him with Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a businessman who was previously considered for the job.

The decree, set to publish on Monday, was provided to Associated Press by a government source. It marks even more turmoil in an already rocky democratic transition process for Haiti, which has not held democratic elections in years in large part because of soaring levels of gang violence plaguing the Caribbean nation.

Fils-Aimé, is the former president of Haiti’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry and in 2015 ran an unsuccessful campaign for Senate. The businessman studied at Boston University and was previously considered for the position as a private sector candidate for the post before Conille took the seat.

Conille, a long-time civil servant who has worked with the United Nations, served as prime minister for only six months.

The transitional council was established in April, tasked with choosing Haiti’s next prime minister and Cabinet with the hope that it would help quell turmoil Haiti. But the council has been plagued with politics and infighting, and has long been at odds with Conille. Organisations such as the Organisation of American States tried and failed last week to mediate disagreements in an attempt to save the fragile transition, according to reports from The Miami Herald newspaper.