After days of riots and unrest following a decision to raise fuel prices, Haiti’s prime minister has resigned.
Jack Guy Lafontant announced his resignation on Saturday just before parliament was set to issue a no-confidence vote that could have ousted him from his position, according to Al Jazeera.
Lafontant took office in February 2017. Haitian president Jovenel Moïse confirmed his acceptance of Lafontant’s resignation and those of his cabinet on Twitter.
This decision came ten days after the Haitian government announced it would hike gas prices after they struck an economic reform deal with the International Monetary Fund. Under that deal, gasoline prices would have risen by 38 percent, diesel by 47 percent and kerosene by 51 percent.
The price hike would have generated $300 million for the government. Fuel has long been subsidized in the country, and that subsidy helps many residents afford the cost of living. More than half the population of Haiti lives on less than $2 a day.
The price hike sparked riots that led to an estimated seven deaths, looting and the destruction of businesses. The IMF deal was suspended a day later, but Haitians were not satisfied and demanded Lafontant’s resignation.
Meanwhile, the IMF still supports removing the fuel subsides, albeit gradually, according The Miami Herald.
“Going forward we will continue to support Haiti, we continue to stand by Haiti and to cooperate closely with the authorities as they develop a revised reform strategy,” said spokesman Gerry Rice on July 12. “One would be a more gradual approach to reducing the fuel subsidies, and two, secondly, would be ensuring the implementation of compensatory and mitigating measures to protect the most vulnerable people.”
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