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Haiti Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe Resigns Amid Violence, Political Strife

MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) - Haiti's Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe resigned Wednesday, as the country faces a spike in killings and kidnappings.

The nation on Hispaniola prepares for an upcoming constitutional referendum and general election this year.

Jouthe had served as prime minister since March 2020. He did not provide an explanation for his resignation early Wednesday and could not be immediately reached for comment.

Jouthe previously had tried to submit his resignation, but President Jovenel Moïse at the time had rejected it.

This time, Moïse accepted it and nominated Claude Joseph as Haiti's new prime minister.

Haiti has long had a high turnover of prime ministers, with six of them appointed to the position since 2015.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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