CAP-HAITIEN—Frustrated residents and hecklers greeted Ariel Henry and members of his government as his delegation arrived at the Cathedrale Notre-Dame du Cap-Haitien for a mass kicking off the Flag Day festivities early Thursday.
“Maestro, maestro, me nou la,” one man shouted in Kreyol for “Maestro, maestro, here we are.”
Flanked by a machine gun-toting security detail that included police officers and bodyguards in varying military protective gear, Henry made no visible reaction as he was ushered into the church.
Watch the video of Henry walking in below.
One woman in front of the church lamented the various crises suffocating Haiti. Holding a large flag, she pleaded with officials to help people of all classes have decent lives.
“My heart is breaking, as a person living in the disenfranchised masses class,” the unidentified woman said in Kreyol. “Take a look at us masses, take a look at our hunger, take a look at the violence, take a look at unemployment.”
“Fo’w voye je gade pep la, fo’w voye je gade grangou, fo’w voye je gade ensekirite, fo’w voye je gade chomaj” the unidentified woman said in Kreyol.
Her plea in Kreyol asked that the country’s leaders do something about the hunger crisis caused by inflation, violence and unemployment. Watch the video of the woman below.
Residents inside the church also heckled Henry during the mass, with some saying that he pocketed money that was supposed to be used for electricity. Henry did not respond to them.
Prior to the delegation’s arrival at the cathedral, a marching band performed in front of the church as members of the army and police officers stood at attention. Watch the video of Henry at the Cathedral below.
Later during the day, marching bands filled some streets in Cap-Haitien, animating the crowd of people with electrifying music.