Emmanuel Macron accuses the Haitians who dismissed their Prime Minister of being “completely stupid”

On the sidelines of the G20 in Rio, the Head of State responded to a Haitian who questioned him “insistently” by accusing him and France “of being responsible” for the political crisis in Haiti, according to the the president's entourage.

Emmanuel Macron accused of being “completely stupid” the Haitian officials who dismissed Garry Conille, appointed Prime Minister five months ago to try to stabilize his country, according to a video filmed Wednesday, November 20 in Rio (Brazil) and published on social networks. In this video shot on the sidelines of the G20 before his departure for Chile outside the presence of the press, the Head of State responds to a Haitian who questioned him “insistently” by accusing him and France “to be responsible for the situation in Haiti”explains the president's entourage to France Télévisions.

“There frankly, it is the Haitians who killed Haiti, leaving drug trafficking”replied Emmanuel Macron. “And there, what they did, the Prime Minister was great, I defended him, they fired him!”he added in reference to the dismissal of Garry Conille by the Haitian presidential transition council. “It's terrible. It's terrible. And I can't replace him. They're completely stupid, they should never have released it, the Prime Minister was great”he continues.

On Thursday, Emmanuel Macron again mentioned the Haitian crisis during a speech on the relationship with Latin America delivered to the Chilean Congress in the city of Valparaiso. “France will continue to support the Haitian people and support all initiatives aimed at restoring security and recreating a path towards a stable political situation. Haitians deserve it”he said.

The country is in the grip of political, security, socio-economic and humanitarian crises, fueled by the violence of gangs which control 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince. The decision to dismiss Garry Conille from his functions came on November 10 when the Transition Council wanted to change officials in the ministries of Justice, Finance, Defense and Health, against its advice.