The United States is intensifying pressure on Haiti’s transitional authorities to chart a definitive path toward democracy. On October 4, Henry Wooster, the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Haiti, issued a firm call for the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) and government officials to publish a detailed timetable for elections—warning that further delays risk deepening the nation’s political paralysis.
“The time has come for the CPT and members of the government to fully fulfill their role by proposing a concrete plan, with a timetable for elections and political transition,” Wooster said in a video message shared via the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince’s social media accounts.
He emphasized that transitional leadership roles “are not for life” and urged Haitian leaders to prioritize a “specific, time-bound plan” to transfer power to a democratically elected president.
The CPT, established in April 2024 after months of chaos following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, faces a fast-approaching deadline: its mandate expires on February 7, 2026, just four months away. The council was tasked with two critical goals—restoring security and organizing long-overdue elections, which have not taken place in nearly a decade. Despite limited progress, Haiti remains mired in violence and political uncertainty.
Wooster’s remarks come as international partners step up involvement in Haiti’s fragile recovery. The United Nations Security Council recently passed Resolution 2793, authorizing the transformation of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission into a 5,500-member Gang Suppression Force (GSF), with a new U.N. office in Port-au-Prince providing logistical backing. Meanwhile, Canada has pledged $40 million CAD toward the mission’s operations, though troop deployment and full funding are still pending.
On the domestic front, Haiti’s National Police (HNP) has begun training 892 new recruits, and the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) reports that nearly 6.3 million Haitians now possess valid voter identification cards—a crucial step toward restoring democratic governance.
Still, divisions persist. Some political factions are advocating to extend the transition through Haiti’s Court of Cassation, while many citizens across social media are demanding immediate elections to end years of interim rule.
As pressure mounts, Washington’s message is clear: the world expects Haiti’s leaders to act swiftly and decisively—or risk losing the confidence of their international partners.
