The U.S. State Department announced visa restrictions on members of Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council and revoked the visas of two council members and their immediate families over alleged ties to gangs and interference with Haiti's anti‑gang efforts. The statement did not name the individuals involved. The council's mandate expires on February 7 and no succession plan is in place, while political pressure grows after two council members called for Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils‑Aime to be removed. The council was appointed in 2024 to oversee a return to elections, a process repeatedly stalled by intense gang violence and a breakdown in security.
U.S. Restricts Visas for Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council, Revokes Two Members' Visas
FILE PHOTO: A general view of a U.S. State Department sign outside the U.S. State Department building in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 11, 2025. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon/File Photo
WASHINGTON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department announced on Sunday that it is imposing visa restrictions on members of Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council and has revoked the U.S. visas of two council members and their immediate family members.
In a written statement, the State Department said the measures were taken because of the council members' alleged "involvement in the operation of gangs and other criminal organizations in Haiti, including through interference with the Government of Haiti's efforts to counter gangs designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the United States." The statement did not identify the individuals affected.
Haiti's embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the State Department also did not provide additional details when contacted.
The Transitional Presidential Council, which serves as Haiti's top executive body, was appointed in 2024 to guide the country toward its first election in a decade. Its mandate is scheduled to expire on February 7, and no official succession plan has been announced.
U.S. political figures, including Senator Marco Rubio, have been engaged in discussions about Haiti's political transition. According to a State Department spokesperson, Rubio spoke with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and urged that the council dissolve as scheduled while emphasizing the importance of keeping Fils-Aime in his post. Separately, two council members publicly called on Friday for Fils-Aime's removal.
The council's ability to carry out its mandate has been undermined by a severe deterioration in security in Haiti, where violent clashes between state forces and powerful, heavily armed gangs have repeatedly delayed plans for elections.
State Department: "The visa restrictions target involvement with gangs and interference with Haiti's counter‑gang efforts, including actions tied to groups the U.S. has designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations."
Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington and Jonathan Stempel in New York; editing by Diane Craft, Sergio Non and David Gregorio.
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