Claude Joseph
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship
In office
4 March 2020 – 25 November 2021
PresidentJovenel Moïse
Himself (acting)
Ariel Henry (acting)
Prime MinisterJoseph Jouthe
Himself (acting)
Ariel Henry (acting)
Preceded byBocchit Edmond
Succeeded byJean Victor Généus
Acting President of Haiti
In office
7 July 2021 – 20 July 2021
Prime MinisterHimself (acting)
Preceded byJovenel Moïse
Succeeded byAriel Henry (acting)
Acting Prime Minister of Haiti
In office
14 April 2021 – 20 July 2021
PresidentJovenel Moïse
Himself (acting)
Preceded byJoseph Jouthe
Succeeded byAriel Henry (acting)
Personal details
Political partyLes Engagés pour le Développement (2022–present)
Education

Claude Joseph (French pronunciation: [klod ʒozɛf]) is a Haitian politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship from 4 March 2020 to 24 November 2021, and served as acting Prime Minister of Haiti from 14 April 2021 to 20 July 2021, and acting President of Haiti from 7 July 2021 to 20 July 2021.[1][2][3]

Joseph was appointed interim Prime Minister following the resignation of Joseph Jouthe. After the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on 7 July 2021,[4] Joseph assumed the office of acting President and was internationally recognized as such.[5][6] As he was not a confirmed Prime Minister, the legality of his succession was unclear[5] and disputed by Prime Minister-designate Ariel Henry and Senate leader Joseph Lambert.[7] On 19 July 2021, under a subsequent political agreement, it was announced that Joseph would yield the prime ministership to Henry and will remain the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship.[8] He stepped down as the foreign minister in November 2021.[9]

Early life and education

Joseph holds a doctorate in public policy from The New School in New York City where he was awarded a full merit-based scholarship as well as the Isador Lubin Fellowship, and worked as a university professor in the United States.[10] He has taught at the University of Connecticut and Long Island University.[11]

On 4 March 2020, he became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe.[12]

Acting Prime Minister of Haiti

After the resignation of Jouthe, he was appointed interim prime minister by President Jovenel Moïse on 14 April 2021.[13] Moïse chose Ariel Henry to succeed him in this role, but did not sign Henry's appointment.[14]

Acting President of Haiti

On 7 July 2021, President Moïse was assassinated and First Lady Martine Moïse was injured during an attack at their residence in Pétion-Ville. Joseph assumed political control of the government,[5] and blamed the attack on "a group of unidentified individuals, some of whom spoke in Spanish and English."[15] At that time, Joseph stated that he was in control of the country.[16][17] The legal succession to the presidency was unclear.[18] Meanwhile, eight out of ten sitting members of Haiti's Senate chose the Senate speaker Joseph Lambert as the interim President on 9 July.[19]

The United Nations special envoy for Haiti, Helen La Lime, said on 8 July 2021 that Joseph would lead Haiti until an election is held later in the year, urging all parties to set aside differences.[5][20] The United States meanwhile recognized Joseph as the interim Prime Minister of Haiti.[21]

A group of prominent diplomats to Haiti called the "Core Group", which is made up of ambassadors to Haiti from Brazil, the European Union, France, Germany, Spain and the United States, in addition to representatives to Haiti from the Organization of American States and the United Nations, called on Ariel Henry to take charge as the head of the government.[22]

On 19 July, Joseph announced in an interview with The Washington Post that he would be stepping down soon and handing over power to Henry, whom he had met with many times in the past week to resolve the dispute, but expected that he will remain the foreign minister in that government. He added that he was doing it to honor the late President Moïse's final wish.[23] Upon being questioned by The New York Times, he rejected that he was stepping down due to international pressure.[24] Henry was sworn in on 20 July, while Joseph retained the post of foreign minister.[25]

Post-presidency

Joseph was replaced as foreign minister by Jean Victor Généus on 25 November 2021.[9] He has defied Acting President Ariel Henry instigating upheaval against the Haitian administration.[26]

On 3 September 2022, Joseph launched his own political party named Les Engagés pour le Développement ("Committed to Development").[27] On 7 September, Joseph was declared persona non grata by the Dominican Republic and is not allowed to enter that country.[26]

On 19 February 2024, Joseph, along with Jovenel's widow Martine Moïse and former police chief Léon Charles, were indicted by a judge in connection to Jovenel Moïse's assassination. Joseph and Martine were charged with complicity and criminal association, while Charles was charged with murder and attempted murder.[28]

References

  1. ^ G. Castañeda, Jorge (21 July 2021). "Latin America's Summer of Discontent". Project Syndicate. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  2. ^ de Alba, Mariano (23 July 2021). "Handling the Aftermath of Haiti's Presidential Assassination". International Crisis Group. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  3. ^ Morrow, Adrian (19 July 2021). "'More violence' feared in wake of Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse's assassination.He was accused by citizens of assassinating the president Moïse but it was not investigated". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
  4. ^ Merancourt, Widlore; Faiola, Anthony; Berger, Miriam (7 July 2021). "Haitian President Jovenel Moïse assassinated at his home by unidentified gunmen". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "The assassination of Haiti's president: What happened, and what could be next". Global News. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  6. ^ News, Latin America (8 July 2021). "UN sees Claude Joseph as Haiti's prime minister, calls for political dialogue with contender". The Rio Times. Retrieved 10 July 2021. ((cite web)): |last= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ "Haiti's senate says its head should replace assassinated president". Reuters. 10 July 2021. Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  8. ^ Hu, Caitlin; Gallón, Natalie; Rivers, Matt (19 July 2021). "Haiti's acting prime minister Claude Joseph to step down amid power struggle after president's assassination". CNN. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  9. ^ a b Jinaud Augustin (25 November 2021). "Claude Joseph passe le maillet à Jean Victor Généus comme nouveau chancelier". Juno7 (in French). Retrieved 4 December 2022.
  10. ^ "Joseph, Claude". SAGE Publications Inc. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Le Ministre des Affaires Étrangères et des Cultes" (in French). Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Nouveau Premier ministre en Haïti nommé après la démission du gouvernement". www.20minutes.fr (in French). 14 April 2021. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Haiti president appoints Claude Joseph as new premier". www.aa.com.tr. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  14. ^ Charles, Jacqueline (5 July 2021). "A neurosurgeon with a public health portfolio is Haiti's newest prime minister". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 5 July 2021.
  15. ^ "President Jovenel Moïse Assassinated by mercenaries". Haiti Libre. 7 July 2021. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  16. ^ Dupain, Etant; McCluskey, Mitchell; Paget, Sharif; Picheta, Rob (8 February 2021). "Haitian opposition picks interim leader as row over President's term limit intensifies". CNN. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  17. ^ Porter, Catherine; Santora, Marc (7 July 2021). "After the killing of Haiti's president, the threat of further political violence escalates". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 7 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  18. ^ "Core Group urges Haiti's designated PM to form a government". Al-Jazeera. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  19. ^ Méheut, Constant (11 July 2021). "The leader of Haiti's Senate is among those vying for power". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
  20. ^ "Haiti's prime minister to lead country until election following president's assassination: UN | Watch News Videos Online". Global News. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  21. ^ "US recognises Claude Joseph as Haiti's acting prime minister". RJR News. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  22. ^ Coto, Dánica (17 July 2021). "Key diplomats, including from Canada, support Haiti's designated PM, snub interim leader". CBC News. Associated Press. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
  23. ^ Faiola, Anthony; Merancourt, Wildore; Hudson, John; Sonmez, Felicia (19 July 2021). "Haiti's acting prime minister Claude Joseph says he will step down amid leadership dispute". The Washington Post. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  24. ^ Porter, Catherine; Isaac, Harold; Crowley, Michael (19 July 2021). "Haiti, Urged by Foreign Powers, Announces New Government". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  25. ^ "Haiti appoints Ariel Henry as new prime minister after president's assassination". France 24. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  26. ^ a b Martín Adames Alcántra (8 September 2022). "Dominican president bars Haitian ex-leader from his country". Associated Press. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  27. ^ "Haïti: Claude Joseph Lance Son Parti Et Tacle La Classe Politique". PressLakay (in French). 5 September 2022. Retrieved 15 September 2022.
  28. ^ Coto, Dánica; Samon, Evens (19 February 2024). "Widow, ex-prime minister and former police chief indicted in 2021 assassination of Haiti's president". AP News. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
Political offices Preceded byBocchit Edmond Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship 2020–2021 Succeeded byJean Victor Généus Preceded byJovenel Moïse President of HaitiActing 2021 Succeeded byAriel HenryActing Preceded byJoseph Jouthe Prime Minister of HaitiActing 2021
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