The Caribbean Community (Caricom) has strongly condemned United States President Donald Trump’s disparagement of Haitian immigrants and his description of African nations as “shithole countries,” while saying that the insult to the character of the countries and their citizens is totally unacceptable.
“Caricom condemns in the strongest terms, the unenlightened views reportedly expressed,” the regional body said in a statement, while noting that it was “deeply disturbed” by reports about the use of derogatory and repulsive language by Trump in respect of Haiti and other developing countries.
Trump reportedly made the remarks at a White House meeting on immigration last Thursday, although he has since denied using such derogatory language.
Caricom said it was also supported Haiti’s response and statement on the language used by the US President.
Haiti had said of additional concern, is this pattern of denigrating Haiti and its citizens in what seems to be a concerted attempt to perpetuate a negative narrative of the country.
“We are especially saddened that such narrative emerged around the time of the anniversary of the devastating 2010 earthquake which took so many lives of citizens in that country.”
Caricom recalled that Haiti is the second democracy in the Western Hemisphere after the United States and that Haitians continue to contribute significantly in many spheres to the global community and particularly to the United States of America.
