Haiti’s future uncertain amid US threats, bloody gang conflict

Haiti entered political limbo on Saturday as the mandate of the Caribbean nation’s transitional governing council, a body intended to curb ‌a bloody gang conflict and bring about long-delayed elections, ended with no succession plan in ‍place.The nine-member Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) was installed in April 2024 after Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned. It has been led by a rotating roster of council presidents.However, its term has been marked by a deterioration in security, ⁠corruption accusations and political infighting.In late January, several members of the CPT said they were seeking to oust Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, even as the US threatened serious consequences should they do so, as they support Fils-Aime staying on after February 7.The US also said the CPT must leave power and ‍has imposed sanctions on five council members.“As the Transitional Presidential Council’s mandate ends on February 7, we support Prime ‍Minister Fils-Aime’s leadership in building a strong, prosperous and free Haiti,” the US embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, said on Wednesday.A day earlier, three US warships arrived in the ‌Bay of Port-au-Prince. The embassy said their presence “reflects the United States’ unwavering commitment to Haiti’s security, stability, and brighter future.”