Haiti’s CPT moves to fire prime minister as more foreign powers warn against it

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Amid calls from several nations and international entities, including United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, for Haiti to avoid changes to its government, members of the country’s transitional presidential council (CPT) announced they had voted to fire Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

Just two weeks before the panel is scheduled to step down, Edgard Leblanc Fils announced at a news conference alongside fellow council member Leslie Voltaire, saying a majority of the panel took the step in a vote on Thursday. No other panel members were at the news conference.

Earlier that day, the European Union and the embassies of Spain, France and Germany issued a joint statement opposing such a change, one day after the US first publicly warned the CPT that changing the government so close to the CPT’s February end date could undermine security efforts against gangs. The Europeans urged the transitional authorities to act responsibly and prioritize restoring security.

The Organization of American States (OAS) also addressed the issue in a statement, referring to the Feb. 7 deadline. It emphasized that decisions regarding future governance rest with Haitian leaders and relevant national stakeholders, while calling for a results-oriented approach that prioritizes restoring security and organizing elections.

“Haiti is at a critical turning point in its history,” said OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin. “In this delicate context, preserving stability, dialogue, and institutional continuity is essential, and the current relative stability must be maintained and strengthened.”

Canada, similarly, called for CPT members to respect their commitment to leave office. Through multiple posts on X, the Canadian authorities expressed concern over the replacement efforts and stated they are prepared to take measures against any actor undermining Haiti’s stability.

Friday, the State Department emphasized the Americans’ original warning that moves to remove the prime minister would be considered “null and void” and alleged that some council members are gang-linked criminals bent on corruption. In a Jan. 23 statement, the State Department said Rubio spoke with Fils-Aimé in a show of support for the prime minister. 

“The CPT must be dissolved by February 7, without corrupt actors seeking to interfere in Haiti’s path to elected governance for their own personal gain,” officials said via the statement.

CPT says it must decide, not foreigners 

The international community’s statements follow a resolution by at least five of the council’s nine members to replace Fils-Aimé after two days of talks in which the Prime Minister’s departure was reportedly discussed.

On Friday, the council members struck a tone of resistance to international pressure. During a press conference at Villa d’Accueil, Voltaire said the decree appointing the interim Prime Minister will be sent to the National Press for publication. He also noted the CPT will leave office on Feb. 7.

“It was us who appointed the prime minister, not the international community,” said Voltaire. “An interim prime minister has been appointed for a 30-day period to handle ongoing affairs while an agreement is reached for a new prime minister and president.”

Information reported by the Associated Press is included in this report.

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