Gabriel Fortuné

Jean Gabriel Fortuné (died 14 August 2021) was a Haitian politician, who served as the mayor of Les Cayes and senator.^[1][2] He was also a National Palace advisor and departmental delegate.^[3] In 2019, he delivered the offer of a conditional resignation by Haiti's president, Jovenel Moïse.^[3]

In 1995, he was wounded during political unrest in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince.^[4]

In 2008, when he was a senator, people protesting food prices stormed his home.^[5] In 2016, as a mayoral candidate, he pledged to replace all the latrines in Les Cayes with flush toilets.^[6] In 2016, he criticized the speed of the central government's hurricane response after a police clash with protesters caused the death of a boy in Les Cayes.^[7]

He announced his resignation as mayor in 2018 stating that protests had endangered his family.^[8] His resignation was refused 100 days later.^[9]

Fortuné died during the earthquake that struck Haiti on 14 August 2021. He was at a hotel during that time, which collapsed during the quake. Rescuers found him dead under the rubble hours later.^[10][11][12]

References

1. "Jean Gabriel Fortune: The biggest problem Haiti is facing right now is impunity and corruption". Haiti News for Haitian-Americans.
2. "Gabriel Fortuné mandaté par Jovenel Moise pour trouver une trêve politique". Le Nouvelliste.
3. "Advisor: Haiti President Jovenel Moïse Prepared to Resign, Conditionally". The Haiti Sentinel.
4. "HAITI: Violence Underlines Fragile Political Situation | Inter Press Service". www.ipsnews.net. 15 November 1995.
5. Delva, Joseph Guyler (7 April 2008). "Death toll rises in Haitian food price protests". Reuters – via www.reuters.com.
6. "Gabriel Fortuné promised to replace all latrines with flushing toilets in Les Cayes". Haiti Observer.
7. "Boy killed in Haiti amid protest over delay in hurricane aid". Caribbean Business. 2 November 2016.
8. "Haiti – FLASH : Gabriel Fortuné, the Mayor of Les Cayes resigns – HaitiLibre.com : Haiti news 7/7". www.haitilibre.com.
9. "iciHaiti – Politic : Nearly 100 days later... The resignation of Mayor of Les Cayes refused ! – iciHaiti.com : All the news in brief 7/7". IciHaiti.com.
10. VBI (14 August 2021). "Haïti-Séïsme: Jean Gabriel Fortuné est mort". Vant Bèf Info (in French). Retrieved 14 August 2021.
11. "7.2 magnitude earthquake hits Haiti; at least 304 killed". ABC News. Associated Press. 14 August 2021. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
12. "Tremblement de terre: l'ancien sénateur Gabriel Fortuné parmi les personnes tuées..." Le Nouvelliste. Retrieved 14 August 2021.