US says Haiti’s transitional council must be dissolved by Feb. 7

WASHINGTON

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Friday with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Fils-Aima, telling him that the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) must be dissolved by Feb. 7, according to the State Department.

Rubio said the TPC must be dissolved "without corrupt actors seeking to interfere in Haiti’s path to elected governance for their own gains," it said.\

He also reaffirmed US support for Haiti's stability and security, and emphasized the importance of Fils-Aima’s continued tenure as prime minister to "combat terrorist gangs and stabilize the island," said the statement.

"The current violence caused by gangs can only be stopped with consistent, strong leadership, with the full support of the Haitian people," it said, warning that Washington will ensure there is a "steep cost" for "corrupt politicians" it accused of supporting gangs.

But Haitian presidential advisors Leslie Voltaire and Edgard Leblanc Fils held a news conference Friday at the Ville d’Accueil, the seat of government in Port-au-Prince, to confirm the dissolution of the TPC and the removal of Fils-Aimé.

Voltaire said that despite all the efforts invested by the council, governance has failed to meet the expectations of the people and the prime minister's destitution is meant to secure a peaceful and Haitian solution to the political crisis.

Leblanc Fils, the new head of government, should hold the position for 30 days to facilitate the political transition.

As the council reaches the end of its mandate and Haiti enters a new chapter amid social turmoil, Voltaire addressed foreign powers closely monitoring the situation, stating on social media that aid from the international community is welcome as long as it serves Haiti’s interests.

“Only then will we understand that the country can truly enter a new chapter, when we Haitians decide our own destiny and stop letting non-Haitians decide for us,” Voltaire wrote on US social media company X.

The Rubio call followed a US Embassy statement Wednesday that cautioned members of the transitional council against efforts to alter Haiti’s political arrangements, warning that Washington would take action against anyone backing destabilizing initiatives that favor gangs.

Haiti has been struggling with gang violence and political instability for years. The country saw an escalation of violence following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise nearly five years ago.

​​​​​​​On May 2, 2025, the US State Department designated the Haitian gangs Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, citing escalating violence and a worsening economic crisis.