The Split in Fanmi Lavalas: How and Why it Came About, and What it Portends

Last week, for the first time in its history, the Fanmi Lavalas (Lavalas Family) party publicly cast out two of its leading members. It hadn’t done this for other prominent members, such as Dany Toussaint in 2003, Leslie Voltaire in 2004, or Mario Dupuy in 2011, all of whom, in one way or another, betrayed the party by allying with right-wing political enemies.

Instead, the two parliamentarians singled out in a Dec. 2 press statement have been spearheading the growing nationwide uprising demanding the resignation of President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe.

“The Fanmi Lavalas Political Organization protests with all its might against any public declaration which comes from some people who present themselves as Fanmi Lavalas members, Senator Moïse Jean-Charles and Deputy Arnel Bélizaire,” read the note signed by FL coordinator Dr. Maryse Narcisse and other Executive Committee members including former deputy Lionel Etienne, businessman Joel Edouard “Pasha” Vorbe, and former right-wing politician Claude Roumain.