Haiti celebrates its national day amid political tensions

Ariel Henry during his appointment as the new Prime Minister in Port-au-Prince, Tuesday, July 20, 2021. AP - Matias Delacroix

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This Saturday, January 1, Haiti is celebrating its national holiday which commemorates its independence from France and at the same time, the first abolition of slavery in human history.

But 218 years after its founding, the country has never been faced with such a political crisis and the difficulties of organizing official ceremonies this Saturday reveal these great tensions.

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With our correspondent in Port-au-Prince, 

Going to Gonaïves on January 1 is a power issue.

In 1804, it is there that the fathers of the Haitian nation had signed the act of independence and it is therefore traditionally in this city, 150 km north of Port-au-Prince, that the speech is delivered. of the Head of State for the first day of the year. 

But since the assassination of President

on July 7, Haiti has faced a deep governance crisis.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry manages affairs.

But in the city of independence, several citizens including armed groups told him that he was not welcome this Saturday. 

Jovenel Moïse had given up on going to Gonaïves 

A few days ago,

members in

Gonaïves shot at workers who were busy building the booth to be used for the official ceremony.

Delivering his speech on January 1 on the town's Place d'Armes would be a sign of his power for the Prime Minister.

But it should be remembered that before his assassination, faced with similar challenges, Jovenel Moïse had given up the trip and commemorated the national holiday, in 2020 and 2021, from the capital. 

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• Haiti

• Jovenel Moses