Haiti replaces PM, marking more turmoil in democratic transition process

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

The decree, set to be published 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 hasn’t held democratic elections in years in a large part due to the soaring levels of gang violence plaguing the Caribbean nation.

Fils-Aime 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.

AP on Sunday couldn’t reach Conille or a spokesperson for him.