Haiti Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe Resigns Amidst Anti-Government Protests

Amidst numerous violent anti-government protests and a political crisis, Haiti’s Prime Minister, Laurent Lamothe announced his resignation in a televised address, in the middle of the night on December 14, 2014. "I leave the position of prime minister this evening with a feeling of accomplishment," said Lamothe in his official Twitter page. In addition, the ravaging protests are demanding new elections and they want President Michel Martelly to step down as well. On Saturday, December 13 a man was shot during the clashes, calling for both, the president and prime minister to resign.

It’s been said that Lamothe’s resignation came as no surprise as President Martelly had mentioned the Prime Minister was ready to exit, in order to help end the country's political crisis, which has failed to hold parliamentary elections in the last three years. The President, on the other hand, had set up an advisory commission to assess the multiple layers of the country’s instability, whom, as reports indicate, amply recommended Lamothe’s resignation. Other suggestions by the commission included freeing political prisoners and dismantling Haiti's electoral council.

The UN’s Stabilization Mission reported extreme violence and has started an investigation on suspected “extreme force use” against civilians in the country. Haiti has been submerged in poverty and violence for a long time now, and is still struggling to recover from the deadly 2010 earthquake, which took the lives of more than 230,000 Haitians.

In 2011, when Michel Martelly became president, he was aware of the fragile state the country was in and famously stated: "We are ruled by corruption," he said at the time. "The people have no confidence in their government." Sadly, Haitians don’t seem to feel like their country’s progressed whatsoever.