Overview:
U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Henry Wooster warned Haitian political and financial actors that Washington will proceed to impose sanctions and pursue prosecutions for gang collusion or efforts to unlawfully retain energy, alluding to members of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) whose mandate ends on Feb. 7, 2026.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — In a year-end message launched Tuesday, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Haiti Henry Wooster warned Haitian political and financial actors that Washington will proceed imposing sanctions, arrests and prosecutions in opposition to people linked to gang violence or looking for to cling to energy unlawfully—signaling a harder posture below the Trump administration as Haiti nears a vital political deadline.
The warning comes as the US escalates enforcement following the signing into legislation of the Haiti Prison Collusion Transparency Act— a part of the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act (NDAA) lately handed by Congress— which expands U.S. authority to establish, sanction and pursue Haitian officers, enterprise figures and others accused of collaborating with armed teams or undermining democratic governance.
“This yr, the US has sanctioned, detained, and arrested people who contributed to the destabilization of Haiti,” Wooster wrote within the message printed on the U.S. Embassy’s official Facebook account. “These people—whether or not in Haiti or in the US—supported gangs by way of arms trafficking, financing or different means. The Trump administration will proceed to carry them accountable.”
A warning tied to previous actions amid deepening political uncertainty
Wooster’s remarks echo earlier U.S. actions in opposition to Haitian nationals accused of backing gangs, together with visa bans, monetary sanctions and prison prosecutions in U.S. courts. He recalled that a number of people have already been detained or sanctioned for alleged roles in arms trafficking and monetary assist to armed teams blamed for fueling Haiti’s insecurity.
The message additionally comes as Haiti approaches Feb. 7, 2026, when the mandate of the nine-member Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) is about to run out. The council was tasked with restoring safety, organizing elections and stabilizing the economic system—objectives that stay largely unmet amid worsening violence and political paralysis.
Wooster accused unnamed political actors of putting private pursuits above the nation’s stability, warning in opposition to any try to make use of insecurity or constitutional reform as pretexts to delay elections.
“America has sanctioned, detained, and arrested people who contributed to Haiti’s destabilization, and we’ll proceed to take action.”
Henry Wooster
“These will not be lifetime posts,” he reiterated, repeating language he used publicly in September. “There’s a historical past behind this—and it’s not a very good one. A democratically elected management is required. That should occur.”
Regardless of repeated assurances from some CPT members that the council’s mandate will finish on schedule, uncertainty persists over what political association will comply with. Officers haven’t introduced a transparent course of for choosing a successor or resolving competing proposals.
Amongst proposals circulating are requires a Council of State, a twin government with a president and prime minister, or a reconfigured transitional council backed by signatories of the Montana Accord. None has gained consensus or formal endorsement.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé has drawn criticism for public gestures—together with guarantees to put in televisions nationwide for the 2026 World Cup—whereas the federal government struggles to pay arrears and comprise insecurity.
A grim safety backdrop
Wooster’s message comes in opposition to the backdrop of a deteriorating safety scenario. Haiti now counts greater than 1.4 million internally displaced folks, based on worldwide estimates, as gangs develop their management past Port-au-Prince.
This week alone, armed teams launched assaults in Mirebalais and Montrouis, abducting two law enforcement officials and demanding the discharge of detained gang members. Within the capital, kidnappings and armed assaults proceed regardless of the deployment of a Kenya-led Multinational Safety Assist (MSS) mission. The MSS is about to be absolutely changed by a 5,500-strong UN-backed Gang Suppression Pressure (GSF) between March and April 2026.
Nonetheless, Wooster mentioned 2026 may mark a turning level if Haiti strikes towards restored safety and credible elections.
“A safer and extra affluent Haiti is feasible,” he wrote, praising the resilience of Haitians and pointing to milestones resembling Haiti’s World Cup qualification, the UNESCO recognition of konpa and the braveness of the Haitian Nationwide Police.
For Washington, the message was clear: accountability will stay central to U.S. coverage towards Haiti—particularly for these accused of colluding with gangs or making an attempt to retain energy outdoors democratic norms.