In a strongly worded official statement dated January 28, 2026, the Port-au-Prince Bar Association has issued a stark condemnation of Haiti’s transitional leadership. Under the presidency of Patrick Pierre-Louis, the legal body has called for immediate accountability from members of the Presidential Transitional Council, citing catastrophic failures in strengthening the nation’s justice system during 19 months of exceptional transitional governance.
The Association’s declaration highlights multiple systemic failures, particularly emphasizing the unresolved assassination of President Monferrier Dorval after sixty-five months of investigation. The statement further condemns the absence of effective judicial and security policies to combat terrorist acts perpetrated by armed gangs against vulnerable populations.
Expressing profound concern about the deterioration of rule of law institutions, the Bar Association warned of impending crises within the criminal justice system. These deficiencies are expected to manifest when addressing numerous legal cases involving investigations, judicial decisions, and enforcement of judgments related to offenses committed during the transition period.
The statement specifically references the exhaustion of the April 3, 2024 Political Agreement by the February 7, 2026 deadline, noting the grave dangers this situation poses to governmental structures and national sovereignty. The Association expressed outrage at public displays of petty squabbles among highest state authorities, which they characterize as being driven by clan or individual biases rather than national concerns.
Despite these criticisms, the Bar Association emphasized the necessity of preserving general interest through constructive dialogue among the nation’s vital forces. The statement serves as both a reminder of the Political Agreement that provided normative basis for the Council’s legitimacy and an invitation for leadership to account for their governance exercises, enabling the nation to learn from this critical transitional experience.