French President Emmanuel Macron's recent characterization of Haiti's transitional presidential council (TPC) as "total morons" has ignited significant diplomatic tensions between his country and its former colony.
Former council president Edgard Leblanc Fils said the words insulted an entire nation "living through dark times."
Macron was captured on video during the G20 summit in Brazil earlier this month criticizing the council's decision to dismiss Prime Minister Garry Conille after just six months in office
"They're total morons," Macron said. "They never should have dismissed him."
Conille, a former United Nations official, was appointed Haiti's Prime Minister in June 2024 by the TPC, a body established to guide the nation through its political instability.
In the video, Macron went on to say that their decision-making at a time of significant organized crime was "completely dumb."
Conille was replaced by businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé on November 11.
Macron's Comment Draws Ambassadorial Criticism
Macron did not hold back when it came to placing the blame in Haiti's unrest.
"Honestly, it is Haitians who killed Haiti by letting in drug trafficking," he said.
Former Senate Leader Leblanc said "[Macron] did not hesitate to interfere in a matter that essentially concerns the Haitian authorities," Leblanc said in a statement, referring to Macron's praise of Conille as "formidable."
The Haitian Foreign Ministry also summoned France's ambassador to Haiti, labeling Macron's remarks as "unfriendly and inappropriate."
"This is complete rubbish," truck driver Nicolas Jean Bernett told Africanews.
"The French still think of us as animals like in the past times of slavery," he said.
Death Toll in 'Humanitarian Catastrophe'
The diplomatic spat comes at the crux of a worsening humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
Armed gangs dominate large swaths of the capital Port-au-Prince and its surroundings, forcing tens of thousands of residents to flee their homes.
According to the United Nations, over 150 people were killed, and 20,000 displaced in just one week of violence in October. This year alone, more than 4,500 Haitians have died as a result of gang-related violence. Only 24 percent of the capital's healthcare facilities remain open as doctors and nurses fear for their lives.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has described the situation as a "catastrophe," warning that escalating violence is obstructing the delivery of aid to those most in need.
Haiti's transitional government, tasked with restoring order, has struggled to unify its leadership and implement effective strategies. Years of corruption and institutional decay have left critical systems, such as the judiciary and police, underfunded and ineffective.
French 'Independence Debt' Tensions
Earlier this year, France offered evacuation flights for its nationals in Haiti.
Around 1,100 French citizens lived in Haiti in March 2024, many of them holding dual nationality.
Macron's comments have reignited long-standing grievances about France's colonial legacy in the Caribbean. After Haiti declared independence in 1804, France demanded reparations for the loss of enslaved people and plantation profits.
The so-called independence debt, which Haiti began paying in 1825, amounted to the modern equivalent of billions of dollars––up to $100 billion in the estimates of some economists.
Some scholars argue that this financial burden has contributed significantly to Haiti's chronic poverty and instability.
Leblanc added a pointed critique of France's colonial history, citing the so-called independence debt imposed on Haiti after it became the first Black republic to break free from European colonization. "Haiti's independence, acquired at the cost of blood, should not be subject to any compensation," Leblanc said.
"This ransom must be returned. It will be returned sooner or later."
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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