Strongly worded statement accuses TPC members of manufacturing instability for personal gain as mandate nears February 7 expiration
Washington, D.C. – January 22, 2026 In an unusually direct and scathing statement issued today, the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs placed blame squarely on corrupt politicians within Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) for the country’s persistent instability and gang-driven violence.
The bureau asserted that Haiti’s chronic unrest is not the result of any inherent flaw in the Haitian people, culture, or constitution. Instead, it is “the choice of corrupt Haitian politicians who use gangs and other armed groups to create chaos in the streets and then insist on a role in government to turn down the chaos they themselves have created.”
The statement went further, labeling implicated TPC members as “criminals like the gangs they conspire with” rather than legitimate leaders. It stressed that true stability can only come from authorities who derive power from the consent of voters — not from orchestrated violence and extortion.
Mounting Frustration Amid TPC Turmoil
The criticism arrives at a critical juncture. The nine-member TPC, formed in April 2024 after the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, was tasked with guiding Haiti toward elections and restoring order. Yet no nationwide vote has occurred in nearly a decade, and gangs control large swaths of Port-au-Prince and beyond.
In recent weeks, the council has been embroiled in internal conflict, including attempts to remove Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé just days before its mandate expires on February 7, 2026. U.S. officials have repeatedly warned against such destabilizing moves, declaring in a separate embassy post that any unilateral actions by the unelected council would be considered “null and void” and could trigger consequences for those responsible.
A Call for Voter-Driven Leadership
The State Department emphasized that Haiti’s future depends on leaders accountable to the people through free elections — not on elites who allegedly fuel violence to maintain influence.
The statement reflects growing U.S. impatience with the transitional process and signals continued pressure for credible elections, security gains, and accountability from Haiti’s unelected leadership.
As the February 7 deadline approaches, the international community — and especially the Haitian diaspora — watches closely to see whether the TPC will step aside peacefully or deepen the crisis.
L’Union Suite will continue to track developments in Haiti’s political transition and U.S. policy responses.
Add Comment