Hubris in Haiti: Ambassador Dan Foote on Learning from America’s Failures
Haiti has been in a state of political uncertainty since its president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated two years ago. Ariel Henry assumed power with the backing of the US – but not of most Haitians – and promptly suspended elections. Competing gangs jockeyed for political power, and have seized control of the capital city Port-au-Prince. The proposed solution – a United Nations security mission led by Kenya and a US-backed transitional government that lacks domestic legitimacy – threatens to recreate the mistakes of the past. In this episode of None Of The Above, the Institute for Global Affairs’ Mark Hannah sits down with Dan Foote, who was America’s special envoy for Haiti until he resigned in protest of US policy there. They discuss the island’s recent history, the role of international intervention, and the urgent need to rebuild Haitians’ trust in their democracy.