By Holly Yan and Christine Theodorou—

Demonstrators burn tires during anti-government protests in Port-au-Prince on December 13.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Laurent Lamothe says he is stepping down as prime minister
Protesters have called for the resignations of Lamothe and President Michel Martelly
Haiti has been mired in extreme poverty and instability for years

(CNN) — After days of anti-government protests in Haiti, the country’s prime minister is resigning.

Laurent Lamothe announced his resignation Saturday night, the country’s Ministry of Communications said on Twitter.

“I leave the position of prime minister this evening with a feeling of accomplishment,” Lamothe said in a televised speech.

The resignation comes after violent anti-government protests calling for elections and for both Lamothe and President Michel Martelly to step down.

The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti denounced the violence in the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and also said it is investigating a report of excessive use of force.

Haiti has been mired in extreme poverty and instability for years. It is still grappling with the aftermath of a catastrophic 2010 earthquake that killed more than 230,000.

In 2011, the year Martelly was elected, the President gave a sobering account of Haitian politics:

“We are ruled by corruption,” he said at the time. “The people have no confidence in their government.”

CNN’s Moni Basu contributed to this report.