The Haitian senate today fired the impoverished country's prime minister after a week of violent food riots and ignored an emergency plan announced by president Rene Preval to slash the cost of rice.
Sixteen of 17 senators who attended a special session of the chamber voted against prime minister Jacques Edouard Alexis, who was inaugurated in June 2006 along with a coalition cabinet meant to unite the fractious Caribbean nation of nearly 9 million people.
"Now it's my turn to play," Mr Preval said when he was told by journalists of the Senate vote against his ally. The vote came shortly after he and leaders of the private sector had revealed an emergency plan to cut the cost of a sack of rice to $43 from $51.
Dealt what political analysts consider a serious blow by the senate vote but not a crushing one, Preval said he would be getting in touch with Senate leaders and legislators from the lower house to pick a new government.
The clash with senators came after days of rioting over food prices in which at least five people were killed.
Crowds of stone-throwing Haitians began battling UN peacekeepers and Haitian police in the south of the country on April 2nd, enraged at the soaring cost of rice, beans, bread, cooking oil and other staples.
The unrest spread to the capital Port-au-Prince this week, bringing the sprawling and chaotic city to a halt as mobs took over the streets, smashing windows, looting shops and setting fire to cars.