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Haiti's PM Steps Down Over Fuel Prices, Violence


Haiti's Jack Guy Lafontant gestures during a meeting with members of the Parliament in Port-au-Prince, July 14, 2018. He resigned after days of protest over planned fuel price hikes.
Haiti's Jack Guy Lafontant gestures during a meeting with members of the Parliament in Port-au-Prince, July 14, 2018. He resigned after days of protest over planned fuel price hikes.

Haiti's prime minister resigned Saturday after days of protest over the government's plan to raise fuel prices.

Jack Guy Lafontant announced to the lower house of Haiti's legislature: "I submitted my resignation to the president of the republic," and he confirmed that the president had accepted his resignation.

Haiti has been in turmoil since last week, when the government announced plans for major increases in the prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene.

The announcement led to riots that resulted in at least four deaths.

The government ended up calling off the price increases, but the political upheaval resulted in a no-confidence vote Saturday in the lower house of parliament.

The U.S. State Department has issued a "do not travel" warning to U.S. citizens as a result of the unrest in Haiti.

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