Joly pushing for Haiti plan at Americas summit: ‘The status quo is not an option’

In Lima, Joly will convene a meeting with Haiti and nearby countries to push for a plan to fix fuel shortages that have caused protests, looting and a health-care collapse.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly is trying to help broker a plan to get Haiti on its feet after a gas shortage that has sparked violence, as Latin American countries focus on growing inequality.

“We need to be in crisis-management mode,” she said in a Wednesday interview from Peru.

“There is no security in Haiti right now; gangs have taken control of all levels of society.”

She was speaking at the start of the general assembly of the Organization of American States, which includes most countries across the Americas.

In Lima, Joly will convene a meeting with Haiti and nearby countries to push for a plan to fix fuel shortages that have caused protests, looting and a health-care collapse.

She said that should include sanctions for gang members who are blocking access to the Varreux fuel terminal and a governance plan to weed out corruption.

“We need to support a Haitian-led solution, and we need to push (political) parties because the status quo is not an option.”

Joly said Canada will also try to fight online misinformation that blames soaring inflation on the United States, instead of on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.