A high-stakes diplomatic and electoral mission is underway in South America as a three-member delegation from Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) visits Chile and Brazil to lay the groundwork for Haitian diaspora participation in upcoming national elections, while building collaborative ties between Port-au-Prince and the two South American nations.
Led by CEP Vice-President Jaccéus Joseph, alongside council members Patrick Saint-Hilaire and Marie Florence Matthieu, the tour kicked off on August 18, 2026, with a first stop in Chile, where the delegation held two pivotal working sessions focused on advancing electoral cooperation and diaspora voting logistics.
The first meeting was held with Chile’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, where representatives centered talks on future collaboration across key electoral domains. Core discussion topics included specialized training for Haitian electoral body staff, institutional capacity building for Haiti’s electoral system, and cross-border knowledge sharing of proven strategies and best practices for running successful voting operations for overseas citizens. Following the talks, Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs committed to coordinating closely with the Chilean Electoral Service (SERVEL) to deliver on the agreed cooperation framework with the CEP.
The delegation’s second working gathering in Chile brought together CEP representatives, Chilean government officials, and SERVEL leadership. Attendees zeroed in on the practical details of organizing the upcoming vote and the specific requirements to remove barriers to Haitian residents in Chile exercising their right to participate in Haiti’s electoral process.
After concluding its sessions in Chile, the CEP delegation traveled onward to Brazil to continue the mission, with the same set of core objectives focused on diaspora voting and bilateral electoral cooperation.
For Haiti’s electoral body, the South American tour represents a key step forward in ongoing work to expand access to voting for Haitians living outside the country’s borders. Beyond enabling diaspora participation, the mission also aims to formalize and strengthen long-term cooperation mechanisms between Haiti’s electoral institutions and their foreign counterparts in Chile and Brazil.