PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Haiti’s foreign minister met with the French ambassador to the country on Thursday over what the ministry described as “unfriendly and inappropriate” comments by French President Emmanuel Macron as he left the G20 summit in Brazil.
Macron on Wednesday described the decision taken by the Caribbean country’s presidential court to impeach the prime minister earlier this month amid escalating crime wars as “dumb”.
“Honestly, the Haitians killed Haiti with the drug trade,” Macron was filmed saying in Brazil, before hailing former Prime Minister Garry Conille, who was ousted amid a row with the council, as a great leader.
“They are completely dumb, they should never fire him,” he said.
His comments sparked outrage in Haiti, a former French colony. After Haiti freed itself from slavery and declared independence in 1804, it paid France a “debt” of lost property – including slaves – over 100 years that some supporters say was more than $100 billion.
Protesters are seeking repayment of France’s debt with the loan, which many blame for Haiti’s economic and political instability.
Former Haitian President Conille, who before taking office earlier this year was the UN chief, was replaced by businessman and former senator Alix Didier Fils-Aime. almost half of the population faces severe food insecurity.
Haiti’s leadership has been marred by conflict and three members of the transitional presidential council – tasked with maintaining security and developing electoral processes – have been accused of corruption. They remain in their places.
Speaking in Chile on Thursday, Macron appeared to soften his tone, vowing that “France will never turn its face away from the crisis … There will never be two approaches to the crisis, whether in Haiti, Venezuela or at the gates of Europe.”
France has pledged 4 million euros ($4.2 million) to a UN fund supporting an entrenched security mission tasked with helping restore security in Haiti, as well as funding for French and Creole classes for its troops.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Haiti said in the meeting that the French ambassador, Ambassador Antoine Michon, assured France that it will remain on Haiti’s side to help restore security and make decisions.
(Reporting by Harold Isaac and Sarah Morland; Editing by Kylie Madry and Daniel Wallis)