Haiti's New Government Pushes Back on U.S. Priorities—Including Venezuela
Haiti's New Government Pushes Back on U.S. Priorities—Including Venezuela
Anything that calls into question Haiti’s commitment to democracy will make it easier for budget cutters in Washington to reduce U.S. assistance there, says AS/COA’s Eric Farnsworth.
In the nearly two months since Haiti President Jovenel Moïse took office, his administrationhas made several high-profile moves demonstrating a new willingness by the impoverished Caribbean country to buck the desires of the international community, including the United States and its allies.
First, Haiti’s government refused to renew the mandate of the United Nations’ independent expert on human rights. Then, it appointed the president of a political party tied to accused drug trafficker Guy Philippe as head of public security in Haiti….
...“Haiti has one of the largest U.S. assistance packages in the hemisphere, so even under the best circumstances it would be prone to paring,” said Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Americas Society/ Council of the Americas, a New York-based policy association focused on the Western Hemisphere. “Anything that calls into question the country’s commitment to democracy, anti-corruption and counter-narcotics [efforts] will just make it that much easier for budget cutters in Washington to take a long and serious look at reducing U.S. assistance there.”
Rubio echoed those sentiments.
“If the Haitian government is going to provide political cover for Nicolás Maduro’s human rights abuses and assault on democracy, it sends a terrible message about their interest in safeguarding and strengthening democracy and human rights at home,” he said…
