Haiti’s government has summoned France’s ambassador in response to French President Emmanuel Macron’s derogatory remarks about the Caribbean nation’s leadership. Macron, filmed in Brazil on Wednesday, referred to Haiti’s transitional presidential council as “morons” for ousting Prime Minister Garry Conille amid escalating gang violence.
Macron criticized Haiti’s leaders, calling their decision to remove Conille “completely dumb,” and claimed the nation’s problems stemmed from the rise of drug trafficking. He also accused Haitians of having “killed Haiti” by allowing the trafficking to flourish, comments that sparked outrage in the former French colony.
The French president’s remarks come at a time when Haiti is struggling with deep political instability, severe gang violence, and widespread food insecurity. Macron’s comments added fuel to longstanding tensions between the two nations, particularly due to the historical context of Haiti’s independence. After gaining freedom from slavery in 1804, Haiti was forced to pay France a large “debt” for lost property, including slaves, a burden activists argue has contributed to the country’s ongoing economic and political struggles.
While Macron softened his stance in a later speech in Chile, expressing France’s commitment to helping Haiti through its crisis, his initial remarks were met with backlash. Haiti’s foreign ministry summoned the French ambassador, Antoine Michon, to convey the country’s displeasure. The ambassador reassured Haiti that France would continue to support the country’s efforts to restore security and conduct elections, including a €4 million contribution to a UN fund aimed at stabilizing the nation.
