The United States has delivered a strongly-worded caution to Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council, signaling potential intervention if the Caribbean nation’s security situation continues to deteriorate. This development occurs amidst mounting international pressure for the interim governing body to organize federal elections in the violence-plagued country.
In a sharply articulated social media statement released Thursday, the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince emphasized that America’s primary objective remains “establishing basic security and stability.” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau explicitly warned that any attempts to alter the composition of the unelected Transitional Council during its final months in office (through February 7th) would be perceived as undermining this crucial goal. Landau further indicated that Washington would respond decisively to such changes, stating that those supporting disruptive measures benefiting armed gangs would face “appropriate measures” for acting against the interests of the United States, the region, and the Haitian people.
This warning emerges against the backdrop of Haiti’s protracted struggle with widespread gang violence, political instability, and systemic corruption. The U.S. stance is being viewed cautiously throughout the region, particularly following recent military operations in Venezuela on January 3rd that resulted in the abduction of President Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration has consistently asserted that the entire Western Hemisphere falls within its sphere of influence under the “Donroe Doctrine”—a contemporary interpretation of the historical Monroe Doctrine previously invoked to justify American military actions including the Maduro operation and territorial claims on Greenland.
Haiti’s current political crisis has deepened significantly since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The absence of federal elections since that event has severely eroded governmental legitimacy, with the last elected leaders losing their mandates in 2023. This power vacuum has enabled criminal gangs to establish control over substantial territories, including approximately 90% of the capital city Port-au-Prince. The resulting violence has displaced over 1.4 million people and created severe food insecurity due to gang-controlled roadways. According to UN reports, approximately 8,100 people perished in the violence between January and November last year—a significant increase compared to 2024 figures.
The Transitional Council, established in 2024 with nine members rotating leadership, was intended to lay groundwork for new elections. However, the body has faced criticism for its composition dominated by political and business elites, alongside allegations of corruption and internal strife. The United States exacerbated tensions by imposing visa restrictions on council economist Fritz Alphonse Jean in November. The planned phased elections, originally scheduled for last year, have been postponed until August while the Council’s February 7th mandate expiration creates additional uncertainty.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres directly links Haiti’s humanitarian crisis to this political vacuum, citing escalating violence, food insecurity, and instability as the transition mandate concludes. Carlos Ruiz-Massieu, head of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), emphasizes the urgent need for transparent democratic processes and governmental unity, warning that gang violence threatens to disrupt electoral preparations. The UN is preparing to expand its multinational security mission later this year with additional troops to ensure free and secure elections can proceed.
As Haiti’s fragile situation continues to deteriorate, the international community increasingly calls for stabilized governance and respect for democratic principles in the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation.