By Claudy Briend Auguste
Pressure is intensifying on Haiti’s transitional leadership as civil society and political organisations increasingly mobilise against the de facto authorities, demanding the departure of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.
Several organisations have announced preparations for nationwide demonstrations scheduled for January, reflecting mounting frustration over what they describe as a failed transition. Protest leaders argue that the CPT should relinquish power no later than 7 February, a date that has become symbolically and legally significant in Haiti’s constitutional tradition.
Tensions escalated further following the adoption of a recent decree by the interim authorities establishing a High Court of Justice. Critics describe the move as a step too far, accusing the government of entrenching impunity rather than restoring institutional credibility. According to protest organisers, the decree amounts to a blank cheque for corruption and legal abuse, shielding those in power from accountability.
Civil society groups insist that the decree must be withdrawn before any transition can be considered legitimate. Failure to reverse the decision, they warn, would constitute a serious breach of the law and justify the immediate departure of CPT members ahead of the February deadline.
Beyond calls for resignation, protesters are also demanding judicial action. They argue that officials implicated in corruption and financial misconduct should face prosecution, stressing that political transition without accountability would merely perpetuate Haiti’s cycle of institutional failure.
As January approaches, the prospect of renewed street mobilisation highlights the fragility of the current political arrangement and underscores the widening gap between the interim authorities and large segments of Haitian society.