Open Letter to the OAS: For Urgent Action in the Face of the Haitian Crisis

Port-au-Prince, June 25, 2025 Open letter addressed to Secretary General Albert Ramdin on the occasion of the 54th General Assembly of the OAS, as well as to the rest of the international community, given the current situation in Haiti: Mr. Secretary General, We extend our warmest congratulations on your appointment as Secretary General of the Organization of American States. Your experience and commitment to the region and within this organization are well known, and we are convinced that your leadership will greatly contribute to strengthening cooperation and solidarity among member countries. As leaders of an important civil society entity, we seize this opportunity to emphasize the importance of the OAS's continued support in our country, particularly in the face of current challenges. We are very grateful for the Organization's efforts to promote democracy, security, and development in the Americas, and we are determined to work closely with you and your team to achieve this common goal. Context of the Crisis: Since the death of the late President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti has been going through a particularly difficult period, marked by multifaceted political, economic, and social crises. More than two successive transitions have yielded no tangible results; approximately more than… have had to flee the country due to insecurity, kidnappings, and murders. The majority of these individuals were qualified professionals, not to mention the closure of several private sector and middle-class businesses, which has caused an unparalleled economic collapse in the country. Today, misery and despair reign as the only alternatives for all desperate Haitians. On the security front, it is total chaos with a police force overwhelmed by the situation, a large part of whose personnel had to leave the country for the humanitarian program known as the “Biden program,” due to state indifference and poor governance. At the time we are sending you this letter, Haiti is a pariah state, where more than 85% of the capital is in the hands of terrorists. None of the capital's main thoroughfares are under state control. It is gang leaders who decide the life or death of the population, thus causing a shortage of local food in the capital and suffocating farmers who had agricultural production as their only means of survival. The medical sector is on its knees. According to authorities, more than 80% of our hospital centers are dysfunctional, not to mention several medical professionals who have had to flee the country to avoid becoming victims of gangs. Observation of this Transition's Failure: After more than two transitions at the head of the country, none of these formulas have managed to rectify the situation. No significant progress in terms of institutional strengthening has been reported. The pacification of armed groups is more than uncertain today, despite the presence of the MSS alongside our law enforcement. The holding of a referendum and elections for this year is unfeasible due to the CPT's lack of legitimacy and morality. After more than 13 months, the country observes a political, security, economic, and humanitarian deadlock within the Transitional Presidential Council itself, led by coordinator Fritz Alphonse Jean — impotent, incompetent, and malicious — not to mention the head of government, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, who is absolutely null and a true irritant at the head of the Prime Minister's Office. During the tenure of the TPC and this government, Haiti has 1.3 million displaced persons according to the IOM, due to insecurity.
The exact number of police officers who are victims of insecurity is not specified, but since 2021, more than a hundred have died.
More than half of the gangs are composed of child soldiers according to UNICEF.
In April, the inflation rate reached 26.8% according to IHSI.
The youth unemployment rate in Haiti is estimated at 14.8% according to Trading Economics.
In 2025, approximately 31% of the population will be between 0 and 14 years old, representing just over 3.7 million young people. According to IHSI, more than 72% of the population is threatened by food insecurity. All of this creates fertile ground for strengthening the ranks of armed groups.
200,000 Haitians were expelled to Haiti last year, mainly from the Dominican Republic.
According to the IOM, the number of people living in tents has fallen below 500,000, representing approximately one-third of the population initially displaced by the 2010 earthquake. The groups are never idle when it comes to recruitment, despite the measures taken by the TPC to combat the trafficking of illegal arms and ammunition at the border via customs. This does not prevent the proliferation of armed groups and their attacks against the population and our public institutions. Justice is in disarray: no courts, the main correctional facilities have been broken into, looted, and even set on fire. The latest case is that of Mirebalais, where 529 detainees escaped. It should be recalled that most of the capital's prisons have been attacked by gangs. Warning Against Modifying or Extending the April 3 Agreement: No modification or extension of this agreement is conceivable. Otherwise, if the international community, the OAS, and CARICOM persist in their utopian stubbornness to propose “Haitian solutions” for good governance in Haiti, it will not only be the Haitian state that collapses, but the entire Caribbean and Latin American region will also be impacted and threatened, due to the lack of leadership and the indifference they show towards the Haitian cause. Proposal for a Crisis Exit with Another Formula: After this bitter observation, it is time to immediately consider another transition with a symbolic, legitimate, and moral figure at the head of the country, along with civil society organizations and political class members not signatories to the April 3 agreement, having a clear and precise agenda. The objective: to resolve the problem of insecurity, organize elections and a referendum, which represent the only possible way to put the country back on the path to stability and progress so desired by all Haitians. Expectation: We are convinced that the OAS, as a regional grouping, can play a decisive role in our journey towards stability and prosperity. We would be grateful if you would give sustained attention to the specific needs of our country and continue to support us in our efforts to strengthen our democratic institutions, promote political dialogue, and improve the living conditions of our fellow citizens. We are confident that your wise leadership will enable us to meet the challenges facing our region and promote a more livable, just, and equitable future for all. We assure you of our full collaboration and our commitment to working together for a more united and flourishing continent. Please accept, Mr. Secretary General, the assurance of our highest consideration. For Authentication: Ricardo Fleuridor Jonathan Renois Nou Pap Konplis CC: CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnet, Ambassador of Canada to Haiti Mr. André Francois Giroux, Ambassador of France to Haiti Mr. Antoine Michon, Ambassador of the United States to Haiti Mr. Henry T. Wooster, Ambassador of Spain to Haiti Mr. Marco Antonio Peñín Toledano, Ambassador of Germany to Haiti Mr. Peter Sauer, Ambassador of Mexico to Haiti Mr. Daniel Cámara Alvaros, and the Head of the European Union Delegation to Haiti Mr. Stefano Gatto.