PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A member of Haiti’s transitional presidential council has openly condemned comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron, who was filmed referring to the nation’s leaders as “total morons.”

Edgard Leblanc Fils, the former president of the council, issued a statement on Sunday, expressing that Macron’s words were an affront to an entire nation grappling with significant challenges. He emphasized that the remarks were particularly inappropriate given the difficult circumstances the country is enduring.

Macron’s comments were caught on camera during the recent G20 summit in Brazil, where he criticized the council for abruptly dismissing Prime Minister Garry Conille after just six months in office. In his remarks, Macron stated, “They’re total morons,” referring to the council and its decision regarding Conille’s departure.

Following the dismissal of Conille, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé was appointed as the new prime minister. In his statement, Leblanc pointed out that Macron went beyond acceptable limits by interfering in Haitian affairs, openly supporting Conille, and describing him as an exemplary leader.

In response to Macron’s disparaging comments, Haiti’s Foreign Ministry summoned the French ambassador to the country, labeling the president’s remarks as “unfriendly and inappropriate.” This diplomatic action reflects Haiti’s displeasure with France’s interjections into its domestic politics.

Leblanc further took this opportunity to address Haiti’s historical grievances against France, highlighting the financial burdens that arose from the colonial period. He reminded that Haiti had been forced to pay a heavy indemnity to France, amounting to billions of dollars, for its independence, a cost he believes should never have been imposed.

“Haiti’s independence, won through sacrifice and struggle, should not be held to any form of compensation,” Leblanc asserted, adding that “this ransom must be returned. It will be recovered, sooner or later.”

Macron’s comments occur against a backdrop of escalating gang violence and political turmoil in Haiti, exacerbating the sense of instability that has been pervasive in the country for months.