Transitional Council moves to oust interim PM
In a dramatic escalation of Haiti’s deepening political crisis, members of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) announced their decision to remove interim Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, defying direct warnings from the US and sparking fears of further instability.
“We are the ones who appointed Didier Fils-Aimé in November 2024,” said council member Leslie Voltaire at a press conference on Friday. “We are the ones who worked with him for a year, and it is up to us to issue a new decree naming a new prime minister, a new government and a new presidency.”
Five of the nine-member council voted to oust Fils-Aimé and appoint a new head of government for a 30-day transitional period. The resolution has not yet been published in Haiti’s official gazette, a step necessary to give the decision legal force. However, the council’s internal fracture has burst into the open, with Council President Laurent Saint-Cyr refusing to sign the dismissal. He warned that “any initiative likely to fuel instability, confusion or a breakdown of trust carries serious risks for the country.”
The attempted ouster has ignited a diplomatic firestorm, with Washington strongly opposing the move. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that he had spoken with Fils-Aimé and “emphasised the importance of his continued tenure as Haiti’s Prime Minister to combat terrorist gangs and stabilise the island.”
“To the corrupt politicians who support gangs and sow trouble in the country: the US will ensure they pay a heavy price,” wrote the US Embassy in Haiti on social media in French and Haitian Creole. The phrase “pri final” was widely interpreted as a threat, intensifying backlash online and within Haiti.
The US has followed its words with actions. Five of the council’s seven voting members are now under US sanctions, including visa revocations for themselves and their immediate families. State Department spokesman Thomas Pigott said the individuals’ actions “have enabled Haitian gangs, some of which are designated as Foreign Terrorist Organisations, to destabilise the country.”
At the heart of the dispute lies the transitional council’s legitimacy. Formed in April 2024 with support from CARICOM and the international community, the CPT was tasked with restoring governance after the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry and years of democratic backsliding since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Fils-Aimé, a businessman and former chamber of commerce head, is the council’s third Prime Minister in less than two years.
Council member Edgard Leblanc Fils defended the decision to remove Fils-Aimé. “The international community will have to acknowledge our decisions and support us according to the guidelines we define for the country,” he declared. Leblanc argued that the move was “judicious,” intended to allow the CPT to remain in place for a short transitional period and “help the country find the best way to manage the political transition period following the departure of the CPT on 7 February.”
But with just days remaining before the council’s provisional mandate expires, the timing has triggered widespread alarm. “Real stability will come when political leaders get their power from the support of voters rather than their ability to sow chaos,” said the US Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.
The security situation on the ground remains dire. According to the United Nations, more than 8,100 people were killed between January and November 2025, while over 1.4mn remain internally displaced due to gang violence. Gangs now control approximately 90% of Port-au-Prince and large swaths of the country’s interior.
UN Special Representative Carlos Ruiz-Massieu warned that Haiti had entered a “critical phase” and called for urgent unity among national actors to “restore democratic institutions.” The latest political standoff threatens to derail already delayed elections, initially planned for February and now pushed to August.
Critics say some council members are seeking to extend their influence beyond the agreed 7 February deadline. Many fear that without a clear transition and broad consensus, the move could trigger renewed violence and deeper chaos. As the council’s mandate approaches its end, uncertainty is high and Haiti’s path to stability once again hangs in the balance.
Source: Caribbean Insight