After the arrest of the judge at the Court of Cassation Ivickel Dabrésil who was to be installed by the opposition as provisional President, as part of the attempted coup https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32966-haiti-flash-coup-foiled-all-official-details.html , radical opposition parties, far from giving up, appointed a new transitional President on the night from Sunday to Monday, Me Joseph Mécène Jean Louis, the 2nd oldest judge of the Court of Cassation.

In a video message, the 72-year-old magistrate, Joseph Mécène Jean-Louis, member of the Court of Cassation since 2011, read a short speech in which he declares "to accept the choice of the opposition and of civil society to be able to serve his country as provisional president of the transition."

Reacting to this designation, Pradel Henriquez, the Minister of Communications informs in a press note "[...] The Government of the Republic takes note of the self-proclamation of the judge at the Court of Cassation, Joseph Mécène Jean Louis, as provisional President of Haiti.

While noting that this constitutes a usurpation of title and a serious violation of the Constitution and the laws of the Republic, the Government is sorry to note that such acts are in reality only intended to create disturbances, to complicate the climate of instability and undermine the foundations of the rule of law on which we continuously work.

However, with any escalation of violence and violations of republican laws, the public authorities will have no other choice to crack down with the utmost rigor against all the troublemakers and supporters of chaos.

The Government takes this opportunity to renew its appeal for calm, dialogue and unity for the protection of our dear common homeland."

Rockefeller Vincent, the Minister of Justice specifies for his part "By wanting to usurp the title of President of the Republic, the self-proclaimed violates the provisions of art. 5 of the law on the statute of the Magistracy which stipulates "Any political action or demonstration of a partisan nature is prohibited to judges and officers of the Public Prosecution."

For his part, President Jovenel Moïse in a presidential decree published on Monday February 8 in Le Moniteur retires the 3 oldest judges of the Court of Cassation and invites them to assert their right to a pension. They are judges Yvickel Dieujuste Dabrézil (arrested for the attempted coup), Me Wendelle Coq Thelot judge approached by the opposition to occupy the post of President and Me Joseph Mécène Jean Louis who has just been proclaimed President by radical opposition.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32967-haiti-coup-the-national-association-of-magistrates-demands-the-release-of-judge-dabresil.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-32966-haiti-flash-coup-foiled-all-official-details.html

SL/ HaitiLibre