"Challenges and Choices: Navigating Haiti's Ongoing Turmoil"
Gang violence escalates in Haiti as a police operation kills gang leader Ernst Julme, while political groups move closer to finalizing a transition council to take over from the absent government. The council, intended to unite Haiti's fractured political class, is tasked with appointing a replacement to Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who resigned due to gang violence. As the council nears completion, heavy gunfire is heard near the National Palace, and the state's absence during the violence prompts international bodies and embassies to evacuate staff and foreigners. Plans for an international security mission remain on hold, while the US and Canada organize the departure of their citizens from Haiti.