December 23, 2024
Presidential adviser Lesly Voltaire described his exclusion from a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Garry Conille and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as a “diplomatic coup.” Voltaire claims that the meeting, which was originally supposed to include transitional President Edgard Leblanc Fils, was instead hijacked in favor of the Prime Minister.
Voltaire pointed the finger at Foreign Affairs Minister Dominique Dupuy, accusing her of orchestrating the maneuver despite established protocols. “Diplomacy falls under the president’s domain, not the Prime Minister’s,” Voltaire said, visibly angered.
Tensions within the Haitian delegation escalated after Voltaire was sidelined from the crucial discussions between Haiti and Brazil on Monday, September 23. He sees this exclusion as a direct affront to the Presidential Transition Council (PTC).
According to available information, it was indeed President Leblanc who was supposed to meet with Lula that day. A formal request had been made on September 5 by Haiti’s permanent mission to the UN. However, a mix-up involving security and diplomatic orders prevented the CPT president from traveling in time. Voltaire has promised that “heads will roll” and that those responsible for this “diplomatic betrayal” will be held accountable.
President Leblanc, who is expected to arrive in New York on Tuesday for the 79th UN General Assembly, is likely to address this confusion upon his arrival. It is clear that this matter is not just a protocol dispute but a power struggle between different branches of Haiti’s executive. With the involvement of high-ranking diplomats and ministers, this scandal could have significant repercussions on Haiti’s domestic politics and its diplomatic standing on the international stage.