A high‑ranking member of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, Fritz Alphonse Jean, has publicly rejected recent U.S. visa sanctions that accused him of supporting criminal gangs, describing the accusations as politically motivated.
On 25th November 2025, the U.S. State Department announced visa restrictions on an unnamed Haitian official, alleging that the individual had provided support to gangs and other criminal organizations, and obstructed law‑enforcement efforts to combat “terrorist gangs.”
While the announcement did not name the person targeted, Jean confirmed on 26 November that he was the individual meant. In a press conference, he categorically denied the charges, asserting that they were a form of external pressure aimed at influencing internal Haitian politics.
Jean explained that the sanctions came shortly after his name surfaced among those pushing for a change in Haiti’s head of government. He claimed that he and several council members had received threats to desist from their reform agenda including warnings of visa cancellation from U.S. and Canadian diplomatic envoys.
He further argued that his political critics were using gang violence as a pretext to stifle legitimate reform efforts, stating that he remains committed to fighting gangs, corruption, and weapons proliferation.
The sanctioning move comes at a delicate time for Haiti. The country is due to organise elections by 7 February 2026, when the nine‑member transitional council mandate is set to end. But persistent gang‑related violence with gangs reportedly controlling 90 per cent of the capital has made election conditions increasingly uncertain.
International reaction has been mixed. While some allies of the U.S. administration support the sanctions as a means to curb gang influence, critics in Haiti have condemned them as external interference and a potential trigger for deeper political instability.
