US Ambassador Henry T. Wooster Urges CPT to Uphold Election Commitments
By La Rédaction · Port-au-Prince · · 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
PORT-AU-PRINCE.— US Ambassador to Haiti, Henry T. Wooster, has issued an urgent appeal to the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) and the Haitian government to accelerate efforts leading to the organization of free, credible, and inclusive elections in the country.
Returning from the 80th United Nations General Assembly, held in New York, the American diplomat released a video on social media this Saturday, October 4, inviting Haitian authorities to present a precise plan with a timeline for elections and political transition. According to him, «the time has come for Haiti to chart its own path out of the crisis,» emphasizing that «the current political deadlock is at the heart of the security crisis undermining the country and destabilizing the region.»
Wooster reaffirmed Washington's support for the Haitian government, particularly in the area of security, which he considers an indispensable condition for holding a democratic election. «Positions are not for life,» he reminded, however. A statement perceived as a direct warning to current transitional power officials.
This warning follows recent statements by the US Chargé d'Affaires in New York, who emphasized in September that «the positions of Prime Minister and presidential advisors are not permanent jobs.» He also insisted on the need not to divert the political debate from national emergencies, recalling that security remains the main issue for Haiti.
With four months remaining until the expiration of the Transitional Presidential Council's mandate, international pressure is mounting for tangible progress. Despite government promises and multiple commitments made to foreign partners, the deteriorating security climate continues to jeopardize any electoral prospects.
Armed gangs still control vast areas of the capital and several departments, making any logistical planning for a national election difficult. In this context, repeated calls from the international community are becoming increasingly urgent.
Ambassador Wooster's message thus serves as a reminder and a signal of impatience from Washington and its partners. For them, the return to democratic legitimacy represents the only sustainable way to extricate Haiti from the political, security, and institutional crisis it has been experiencing for several years.
«Haiti must choose its future through the ballot box,» summarized Mr. Wooster, inviting the CPT to fully assume its historical responsibilities.
Jean Mapou
