Fritz Jean Criticizes, Emmanuel Vertilaire Retorts: A Chronicle of a Zigzagging Presidential Council

As revelations about internal tensions within the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) recently shook the political sphere, counselor-president Emmanuel Vertilaire broke his silence on Twitter this June 9, 2025. His statement, laden with veiled criticisms and calls for responsibility, comes amid a climate of growing rivalries among Council members. This institution, which is supposed to guide Haiti out of crisis, seems to be sinking into its own contradictions. An article in Le Nouvelliste newspaper, published a few days earlier, exposed the existence of several rival blocs within the CPT, as well as tensions related to appointments deemed arbitrary and inefficient. According to the information reported, Fritz Jean, the current president of the Council, reportedly expressed his discomfort with the choices of some of his colleagues and the institution's disorderly governance. He notably denounces the « massive appointment of incompetent individuals » and justifies the rare holding of Council of Ministers meetings – only two so far in three months, since his inauguration last March 7 – as a strategic choice to prevent these meetings from becoming mere platforms for validating political quotas. However, he is expected to hand over the leadership to Laurent Saint-Cyr next August 7. Vertilaire Retorts: A Targeted but Veiled Message It is in this context of tensions that counselor Emmanuel Vertilaire, representing Pitit Desalin, published a strong message on Twitter. Without naming anyone, he criticizes both sides, accusing them of prioritizing personal ambitions over the collective interest: « When sterile ego fractures unity, the duty of the State requires building bridges. It is not by fracturing that one governs, but by uniting. » While the Le Nouvelliste article places him with a group composed of Louis Gérald Gilles, Smith Augustin, and even Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, he continues in a solemn tone to counter: « I belong to no group. The only group I claim allegiance to is that of the women and men living in displaced persons' camps who need to return home. » In this discourse tinged with republican morality, Vertilaire positions himself as a defender of the population held hostage by violence, and calls for a transition focused on national priorities: « My only loyalty goes to Haiti — to this wounded Haiti that refuses to sink, to this nation that expects not internal quarrels, but a surge of responsibility. » Finally, his almost prophetic conclusion sets the tone: « History consistently teaches us: political cannibalism has never begotten peace, even less so in dark times. The transition should not be the ground for excessive ambitions, but the foundation for renewal. » Strong Words, but a Controversial Counselor Vertilaire's discourse strikes hard, but its author remains under critical scrutiny. A former investigating judge, he is currently targeted by an ULCC investigation for his alleged involvement in a corruption case linked to the Banque Nationale de Crédit (BNC). Two other Council members, also cited in this case, are accused of controlling a majority of diplomatic appointment proposals. Towards a Council Implosion? While the population awaits concrete actions regarding security, governance, and elections, the Transitional Presidential Council projects the image of a ship adrift. Between power struggles, internal quarrels, and accusations of clientelism, the structure meant to embody renewal seems undermined from within. More than ever, Haiti seems to be facing a stalled transition. And the chronicle of a zigzagging Council becomes that of a power without a compass. The CPT's mandate will end on February 7, 2026. Wideberlin Sénexant