Wednesday Briefing: Turmoil in Haiti

Gangs have taken over much of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.Credit…Odelyn Joseph/Associated Press

Kenya put a planned force for Haiti on hold

Kenya said it would pause a plan to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti until the Caribbean country forms a new government. On Monday, Ariel Henry, Haiti’s prime minister, agreed to step down, once a new transitional government is formed. It is unclear when that will happen.

Henry’s announcement came after days of violent gang attacks on police stations, prisons, the main airport, seaport and other state institutions. The gangs had threatened civil war if he did not resign.

Henry’s decision has brought more uncertainty to an already chaotic situation. The U.S. on Monday announced that it would provide $100 million to support the Kenya-led, multinational force, which has been backed by the U.N. But a Kenyan spokesman said: “You don’t just deploy police to go on the Port-au-Prince streets without a sitting administration.”

Henry: He is stranded in Puerto Rico, after traveling to Kenya to finalize the deal. Many Haitians saw his power as illegitimate.

Caribbean leaders: They met for discussions in Jamaica to try to create a transitional council that would lead Haiti. But a leader said on Monday that no plan had been finalized.