Haiti Top Minister Ariel Henry says he will resign

The unelected prime minister of Haiti says he will resign in the face of mounting pressure growing violence and instability in his home country Ariel enri says he will step down but only once a transitional presidential council is created the embattled Prime Minister has been stranded essentially in Puerto Rico unable to re-enter Haiti since last.

Week gang leaders have been demanding he step aside and hold free elections which never actually happened under his ruling following the assassination of the former Haitian president in 2021 now CBS News correspondent Christian Benavides joins us now from the Dominican Republic of course on the island of Hispanola next to Haiti.

Christian you're at the border I understand give us a sense of what you're seeing um where you are Erol we are right at the border just as people try to enter the Dominican Republic the city of daabon right behind me what you're seeing is a group of patients and because of what happened with the Prime Minister officials aren't.

Allowing patients into dalabon who would normally be here just to do local Commerce let's say a shop around or or do work around town uh those people aren't being allowed in today uh plainly because of what has happened with the Prime Minister here at this Crossing there has also been groups there have also been groups of Americans who have.

Been coming through here earlier today I spoke to a woman from Argentina a missionary who says she'd been in Haiti for seven years but it was this crisis that's currently unfolding that got her to leave Haiti and uh try to get back to her native Argentina she crossed into the Dominican Republic earlier today but those are the scenes that are sort of.

Unfolding here and as I mention you can see right behind me the group of Haans where they're standing that is a demilitarized zone between ha and the Dominican Republic so everyone is allowed to stand there with permission and this group of people have the permission to stand there and they're just here waiting to be allowed.

Into the Dominican Republic something again that they would typically do but because of tightened tensions uh they're not able to do so Christian it's fascinating to watch and to see that up close considering the unclear status that Haiti is in right now it's prime minister pledging to step down only once there's a transitional team put in place.

It hasn't been put in place yet PTO Prince the capital is essentially being run by gangs the main airport is closed so international flights can't get in or out that's why CBS News you are having a challenge getting in but talk to me more about the mood from what seems like Haitians trying to get out what they're saying and going through as the.

Dominican Republican uh the Dominican Republic there on Hispanola really closes that uh previous transition Point well it's quite diff difficult as you can imagine these are desperate people they are living in conditions where whatever they do in their daily life is controlled by gangs when when you talk about what's happening around.

Forida Prince 80% of the capital city controlled by gangs that means that they can come to your home they can tell you Hey listen uh this is now ours and you just got to find where to go additionally uh they control the resources so even though this uh this area of of Haiti um which is just across the border from the habon is not as is.

Is in a place where they're not in as clear and presentent danger as people in Port of Prince are all the supplies all the food anything that has to come from Port of Prince is likely being blocked by the gays now there there is one bit of news that we got today which is essentially that uh the Haitian National Police was able to.

Take control back of of the SE which is great news for the Haitian for for the people of Haiti but we have to wonder where do things stand because as of now there is no clear path of how these things are going to move forward we heard from uh from the Kenyan police force that they've said that they're backing away from sending a thousand.

Troops to try to control the situation in Haiti and uh but by doing so they said that they're waiting until this transitional government is put in place and there's just no set timeline for that meantime there's the human toll of folks who again are in a desperate position trying to come into the Dominican Republic unable to do so.

Because there are days that the Border guards are allowing some people in and other days where uh they are not it's a it's an up close Glimpse uh Christian you're giving us of this moment in time for Haitians who are effectively in limbo we have a report out of the the New York Times uh saying that Kenya's put a pause on its police deployment to.

Haiti that was also meant to calm things down and and regain stability in the meantime um I just want to hear more and see more of what you're showing us there in dahab bond which for viewers this is not in Haiti but it's on the Dominican Republic side of the Haitian border toward the north northern area of the island of Hispanola and Christian you.

Were saying previously this would have been a place where local residents would have been able to cross but now because of the instability and the tensions things are much different where you are today right that's exactly right you either need uh a passport from the Dominican Republic a US passport but if if you have solely Haitian um documents.

Then you're not able to freely go across there are days from what we're understanding from people who are on the ground that you are able to cross but because of the current instability particularly given that the Prime Minister has stepped down is that that is why there are a number of people who are waiting here and they're waiting.

Here because normally they'd be able to cross you know border towns in the US are just like that if you uh go to Al Paso you have people that are crossing all the time so the Border towns here are exactly the same the difference today is that people who only have a Haitian passport aren't being allowed in precisely because of the Prime Minister.

Stepping down all the instability taking place and you're absolutely right the Kenyan police for saying that they're backing away from sending a thousand uh troops that certainly has calmed things down we've heard that things are calmer in the sense that everyone is in a wait and see moment everyone wants to know what what's going to happen next.

And that's just sort of the reality that is uh that people are living through yeah it's such an uncertain moment for millions of people and for those in the country they can't really get out and that's why you and your team for journalists it's even more challenging to just navigate and get around uh but Christian Benavides we appreciate you.

Bringing this live report from the border of Haiti with the Dominican Republic we'll see more of your reporting on the CBS Evening News tonight um as well so we'll connect with you again soon Christian thank you

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