Political Crisis in Haiti: APHA Challenges CARICOM and OAS on the Role of 'Contested Actors'

In a bold stance, the citizen organization 'Agissons pour Haiti' (APHA) addressed an open letter to regional bodies, CARICOM and OAS, to denounce the persistence of political negotiations involving 'figures widely rejected' by the Haitian population. This move comes amidst deep skepticism regarding the legitimacy of the ongoing political process. APHA's initiative directly implicates several political figures from the December 21st Agreement, including André Michel and Claude Joseph, central figures of the political opposition in recent years. These individuals are accused by the organization of symbolizing the political class's failure to extricate the country from institutional deadlock and, according to APHA, of having contributed to the weakening of state structures. The letter specifically mentions the controversial role of Claude Joseph, former Prime Minister in office during the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, a crime still shrouded in mystery. Without making direct accusations, APHA highlights the lack of accountability and the persistent suspicions that continue to fuel public distrust towards leaders. However, it is primarily through its criticism of the April 3rd Agreement – successor to the December 21st one – that APHA warns against the reproduction of a political system based on exclusion and the recycling of contested political figures. The organization criticizes CARICOM and OAS for legitimizing what it considers a restricted circle of power, detached from popular aspirations. Former fierce opponent of the PHTK regime, André Michel, is also targeted for his mobilization methods, which APHA describes as dangerous and destructive. The organization believes that his radical speeches and the 'pays lock' movements have contributed to the rise of a culture of violence and anarchy, particularly among the youth. Through this open letter, APHA calls on regional bodies to change course, by ending their tacit support for 'discredited actors.' Instead, it advocates for the inclusion of new forces, stemming from civil society, youth, and victims of the current system, to initiate a truly hopeful process of re-foundation. This challenge comes as CARICOM and OAS have recently intensified their diplomatic efforts to relaunch discussions on the future of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), which itself is under fire for its lack of transparency and concrete results. Against this backdrop: a country still without an elected president, plagued by insecurity, and where the population is increasingly openly expressing its weariness with a political class deemed incapable of responding to national emergencies. APHA's call thus resonates as an attempt to reorient the debate, to move away from a logic of recycling and place the nation at the center of the democratic project. By Gesly Sinvilier