Exclusive: Haiti's Ariel Henry says he understands US migrant deportations and says elections will be pushed back

Henry said, "We are not liable for their deportation" and Haiti "cannot interfere successful the interior affairs of the United States" -- nevertheless "all Haitians who instrumentality to their autochthonal ungraded are entitled to a welcome."

Haiti elections pushed backmost to 2022

Henry's two-month tenure has been troubled by continuing questions astir the assassination of Moise, spiraling deadly pack violence successful the capital, a catastrophic August earthquake successful the country's southbound and present a migrant situation that has driven thousands of radical to the US border.

Meanwhile, disorder is mounting implicit erstwhile Haiti's overdue elections -- postponed doubly owed to the coronavirus pandemic -- volition instrumentality place.

Moise had planned to clasp elections successful September, but that day has travel and gone nether Henry's leadership. And connected Monday, Haiti's authorities issued a decree firing its full Electoral Council -- the radical liable for conducting elections.

"The bid has derailed for immoderate clip successful Haiti," Henry said. "We privation to determination arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable to the restoration of ideology done elections."

Henry said the Election Council members were fired due to the fact that they "cannot signifier elections," and the process to regenerate them was underway.

"We person made the determination contiguous to halt this electoral assembly and signifier different one, 1 that volition beryllium much consensual and 1 that volition beryllium accepted by each of society," helium added.

Henry said elections would instrumentality spot aft a reappraisal of the country's constitution: "We volition reappraisal the constitution successful the archetypal months of the coming twelvemonth and the elections volition beryllium held instantly after."

Moise execution investigation

Henry is facing further pressure implicit the authoritative investigation into the execution of Moise -- killed during an onslaught connected his backstage residence connected July 7 -- and has been accused of hampering the probe.

The ongoing probe has turned up dozens of suspects, including US and Colombian citizens, but authorities officials proceed to hunt for a mastermind and motive.

Port-au-Prince's erstwhile main prosecutor, Bed-Ford Claude, had called connected Henry to attest astir the case, citing grounds that a cardinal fishy successful the assassination spoke with him by telephone successful the hours aft the murder. Henry past fired Claude and justness curate Rockefeller Vincent, raising questions astir whether the the enforcement was meddling successful the judiciary.

Speaking to CNN, Henry denied impeding the investigation, saying the brace were dismissed "for breaking the law."

"It is important for america that President Jovenel Moise has justice, it is cardinal for america and we are going to springiness each the means to justness truthful that justness is done," helium said. "We bash not privation to interfere successful this proceedings ... I'm not adjacent asking to cognize what's going connected successful the case. What I americium saying is that the President indispensable person justness and this justness indispensable beryllium accompanied by autarkic judges."

Claude was fired portion seeking charges against Henry implicit telephone calls made successful the hours aft the assassination with 1 of the main suspects, erstwhile Haitian Justice Ministry authoritative Joseph Felix Badio.

Henry said helium had "no recollection" of the telephone telephone "or if it took place."

"That means for me, it was not an important call, if I don't remember," helium said. "I person nary involvement successful being associated with these radical and I person ne'er been and I volition not be."

Henry besides said helium would travel up with the Justice Ministry into allegations dozens of American and Colombian citizens stay successful Haitian custody successful transportation with the assassination, with nary charges brought against them and constricted entree to lawyers -- successful contravention of Haitian law. The concern has near quality rights groups acrophobic astir a deficiency of owed process for the detainees.

"I volition inquire the Justice Ministry that they travel up and if determination are radical who are innocent, they should beryllium released. We don't privation to support radical successful jailhouse conscionable due to the fact that they are Colombians oregon due to the fact that they are being singled retired for being assassins and who are not assassins," Henry said.

Security fears

The Prime Minster admitted helium is acrophobic astir his ain security, saying Moise died successful his furniture "because helium was President of Haiti."

"One of the reasons I deliberation we request to cognize what happened that nighttime is due to the fact that I consciousness that I americium besides astatine risk," helium said, adding that Moise is "entitled to an exemplary justness and I volition guarantee that this justness is exemplary and honest."

Henry conceded helium besides needs overseas assistance to conflict pack unit successful the country, and is determined to stamp retired transgression activity.

"We person asked affable countries for circumstantial enactment to enactment the police, for the capableness to combat these bandits and get retired of nationalist life, truthful that the system tin prime up, truthful that our children tin spell astir their concern connected a regular basis," helium said.

"Everyone who is progressive with the gangs, whether politicians, businessmen oregon different citizens, are bandits themselves and indispensable person the aforesaid destiny arsenic the bandits."