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]