lowereas
Haiti’s transitional government has appointed Vladimir Paraison, the country’s former national palace security chief, as the new head of the National Police in a bid to intensify efforts against heavily armed gangs that have displaced more than a million citizens.
Paraison, widely regarded as a resolute and experienced officer, assumed the role on Friday, replacing Rameau Normil, who had served just over a year. His appointment comes amid heightened tensions within the presidential council, particularly between Normil and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, who has been spearheading a drone-based counteroffensive against gang strongholds.
“We, the police, will not rest,” Paraison pledged during his swearing-in at the Villa d’Acceuil the government’s temporary headquarters after the national palace became unsafe. “We will bring security to every corner of the country.”
The capital, Port-au-Prince, remains largely under the control of gang coalitions, notably the Viv Ansanm alliance, which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization accused of mass killings, sexual violence, kidnappings, and extortion. Haiti’s overstretched police force and its nascent army have struggled to halt the gangs’ territorial expansion beyond the capital, despite limited backing from a U.N.-supported multinational mission.
Paraison, who walked to the podium with a cane due to a leg injury sustained in clashes with armed groups, received applause from attendees. The transitional council’s president, Laurent Saint-Cyr who began his six-month rotational leadership on Thursday praised outgoing commissioner Normil and emphasized that the leadership change was a strategic decision rather than a reprimand.
“This change is not a sanction,” Saint-Cyr said. “It is driven by the urgency and necessity to give new energy to the Haitian National Police. Security remains our top priority.”
According to U.N. figures, gang violence has displaced about 1.3 million people and claimed over 3,100 lives in the first half of this year alone.
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