Alix Didier Fils-Aime sworn in as new Prime Minister of Haiti
Port-au-Prince: Hours after a U.S. plane was shot at as it was making its last approach to the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, Alix Didier Fils-Aime was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister, according to Al Jazeera.
A presidential council dismissed Garry Conille, the temporary prime minister of the Caribbean country, and officially nominated Fils-Aime on Monday. The newly minted prime minister then reaffirmed his commitment to national security.
“In front of you, members of the presidential council, and the entire nation—I pledge—to put my energy, my skills, and my patriotism at the service of the national cause,” Fils-Aime said in French, according to Al Jazeera.
This occurs in the midst of Haiti’s continuous political unrest after the assassination attempt on then-President Jovenel Moise, which resulted in armed groups seizing control of large portions of the country.
The plane was scheduled to land at the airport in the Haitian capital after taking off from Fort Lauderdale, South Florida. However, Spirit Airlines spokesman Tommy Fletcher said that the aircraft was redirected to Santiago, the capital of the Dominican Republic, where it landed safely. According to Al Jazeera, the jet was damaged by gunfire.
A representative for the airline said that no passengers were reported hurt and that one flight crew had minor injuries. There were obvious gunshot holes in the cabin of the Airbus A321.
Spirit Airlines stopped operating in Cap-Haitien, the capital and second-largest city of Haiti, at the same time. In the aftermath of the event, American Airlines allegedly “suspended its operations to Port-au-Prince until November 14.”
The “indefinite closure” of all commercial flights was verified by airport authorities in the Haitian capital.
Over 700,000 people have been displaced from their homes and the existing severe poverty and hunger in Haiti have been made worse by years of gang warfare. The United Nations reports that about 4,000 people have been slain in the nation’s gang war, which is becoming worse.
