The U.S. government has announced visa restrictions on Fritz Alphonse Jean, a member of Haiti's transitional presidential council, saying he supported gangs and other criminal networks. The announcement did not name the individual initially; Jean later confirmed he was the target and denied the allegations.
U.S. officials also accused Jean of obstructing Haiti's efforts to combat what they described as "terrorist gangs," though the public statement provided few specifics. Armed groups now control roughly 90% of Port-au-Prince and large swaths of central Haiti, where they extort businesses, attack civilians and fight over territory with increasingly powerful weaponry.
Haiti is scheduled to hold elections by Feb. 7, the date when the nine-member transitional council is due to leave office. Critics say some council members are maneuvering to remain in power beyond that deadline and are seeking a prime minister who would support such an extension; Jean rejected that characterization, insisting the council remains committed to fighting gangs and corruption.
Jean told reporters that, after the council began exploring a change in the head of government, members received warnings from a U.S. Embassy representative and the Canadian ambassador about possible visa cancellations and other sanctions. He said those envoys made clear the measures would follow certain actions.
"We stand firm on combating corruption, state capture by a few individuals, and operators involved in drug trafficking and the proliferation of weapons and ammunition," Jean said in a written statement and at a subsequent press conference.
Jean is an economist and former governor of Haiti's central bank who has at times served as president of the transitional council. The council was formed after former Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned last year amid widespread gang attacks that left the country without a clear civilian leader. The office of Haiti's current prime minister, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The visa restrictions followed public warnings from U.S. officials. On Nov. 19, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau posted that calls for an "open war against the central government" were under way and that the U.S. and partners had delivered a clear message: those who obstruct Haiti's path to stability should expect consequences, including visa revocations.
Hours after speaking to reporters, Jean released a four-page statement calling for the removal of the prime minister and shared what he described as messages urging him to abandon plans to replace the head of government. One of the messages he released warned against testing U.S. resolve and urged the publication of an electoral decree instead of attempting to oust the prime minister.
Jean also accused the prime minister of failing in three key areas: security, governance and the organization of elections, and called for a "more proactive, more responsible government."
Violence has made it difficult for Haitian authorities to meet the electoral timetable. The Provisional Electoral Council has provisionally set election dates for August and December of next year. The country has not held a presidential election in nearly a decade and has had no elected president since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
From January through September of this year, more than 4,300 people — including gang members — were killed across Haiti, according to available tallies. A U.N.-backed mission led by Kenyan police has struggled to contain the unrest, and authorities await a new gang-suppression force that would have arrest powers the current international contingent lacks.
Adding to the strain on daily life and the economy, Sunrise Airways, the only carrier providing both domestic and international flights for much of the country, said it was suspending service for safety reasons. Gang activity has forced Haiti's main international airport to close several times since last year.
