During a visit to Montreal, a Haitian opponent denounces Canadian politics

Posted On: April 24, 2023

Fritz Alphonse Jean has been visiting Canada since last Thursday.

An opponent of the current Haitian government, Fritz Alphonse Jean, criticized Canada’s policy in Haiti on Saturday in Saint-Michel in front of around 300 Montrealers passing through Montreal.

Mr. Jean heads the Montana Accord group. That’s the name of the hotel where the document was signed by around 50 political parties and civil society organizations. Congratulating Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Canada’s sanctions affecting around twenty political, government and business figures, the economist finds Ottawa’s attitude towards Port-to-the-Prince’s de facto regime strange.

“I congratulate Prime Minister Trudeau on the sanctions affecting at least two members of the current Haitian government, but we do not understand his tolerance towards Prime Minister Ariel Henri,” he said to the applause of the support gathered at the Haitian cultural center La Perle recovered.

An alternative in Haiti?

Additionally, Mr. Jean believes Canada is far from the number of people who need to be sanctioned in that country. “The list is absolutely incomplete. The majority of the people of Haiti know,” said the Montana group leader.

In an interview with Métro, Fritz Alphonse Jean, chosen by this socio-political organization to lead the transition after the assassination of Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021, presents himself as an alternative to power in Haiti.

“Montana and its allies are enough as a project to change governance and resolve the issue of insecurity,” says Mr. Jean. The latter met several officials during his visit to Canada, including the leader of the Bloc Québécois Yves-François Blanchet.

But he refuses to say whether he has met with members of Justin Trudeau’s government. “I’ve met with officials, but all the meetings I’ve had are confidential,” says the Haitian opponent.

intervention or not?

Mr Jean says he is opposed to any military intervention in Haiti because of previous failures. Rather, he speaks of a task force Haiti-led, Haitian security experts based in Canada, France or the United States.

“International urban guerrilla experts could integrate this force,” the anti-interventionist concedes. The Haitian National Police has about 9,000 troops for a population of 12 million, a number far below international security standards.

“We are against any military intervention in Haiti,” said one of the organizers of the meeting, Ismael Rebert. His colleague Jenny-Laure Sully added: “We don’t want any wrong solutions”. Past military interventions such as the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTHA) have fizzled out.

A second protest will take place later on Sunday outside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s MP’s office.