The fallout from Washington's public rebuke shakes the Haitian political elite as justice finally begins to catch up with those who have abused their positions of power.
Politics | The Haitian Pulse Editorial Team | August 3, 2025]
A Diplomatic Note with Explosive Implications
On August 1, 2025, a statement from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs set off political tremors across Haiti. Though framed as a generic call for integrity within Haiti’s transitional government, the note masked a more incendiary truth: a failed internal coup attempt within the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), allegedly orchestrated by none other than Fritz Jean—its outgoing president.
Behind its official tone, the message praised CPT members who “refuse corruption,” a diplomatic but unmistakable condemnation of an attempted scheme to unseat Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé in the waning days of Jean’s mandate.
The Plot to Reshape Power
According to multiple sources close to the CPT, Jean was unwilling to cede power without first toppling the prime minister. His strategy aimed to shift the internal balance before handing over the presidency to CPT member Laurent Saint Cyr. To do this, Jean turned to a man whose political career has long embodied fluid alliances and ambition: Moïse Jean Charles.
Jean Charles, a self-styled populist and perennial presidential hopeful, was tasked with recruiting support for the coup from three CPT members: Emmanuel Vertilaire, Smith Augustin, and Louis Gérald Gilles. All three had recently faced public scrutiny over a scandal involving the Banque Nationale de Crédit (BNC), making them potentially vulnerable targets for political negotiation.
Yet the gambit failed. Not only did the three councilors reject Jean Charles’s approach—they reported the scheme to American authorities.
The U.S. Responds Swiftly—and Publicly
The response from Washington was immediate and strategic. Rather than quietly dismissing the report, the State Department issued a statement that functioned as both a warning and a symbolic unmasking. By praising CPT members who “refuse corruption,” U.S. officials effectively validated the whistleblowers while isolating those behind the plot.
“This is no longer about diplomacy,” one Haitian political analyst remarked. “This is Washington taking off the gloves.”
What began as a backroom maneuver now threatens to dismantle what remains of Fritz Jean’s credibility.
Moïse Jean Charles: The Political Chameleon in Peril
Moïse Jean Charles has long walked a political tightrope, shapeshifting between populist icon, radical critic, and shadowy broker of power. But this failed scheme may finally cost him the reputation he’s worked so hard to mold. His role as intermediary in this attempted coup not only exposes his proximity to high-level corruption—it may also bring his political future to an abrupt halt.
“There’s a big difference between being a dealmaker and being a destabilizer. Moïse Jean Charles may have just crossed that line.”
In a country where corruption is often shrugged off as part of the system, the involvement of the U.S. could mean that this time, consequences are real. And if Washington follows through with its veiled threat, those who orchestrated or participated in this plot—especially Jean Charles—could face legal, political, and personal consequences unlike any they've seen before.
More Than a Coup: A Symptom of Systemic Decay
This incident lays bare the rot at the heart of Haiti’s transitional government. The CPT, conceived as a temporary solution to guide the country through its post-assassination crisis, is now unraveling under the weight of internal ambition, betrayal, and greed.
What’s more alarming is that this isn’t an isolated case. It’s part of a pattern—decades in the making—where Haitian leaders serve the interests of their foreign backers instead of their people.
“While we do not endorse Fritz Jean’s tactics, these events expose a deeper and more disturbing reality: Haiti’s political leadership operates under a master-servant dynamic. The three CPT members who rushed to report the internal coup to Washington didn’t act out of civic duty—they acted as loyal informants, upholding the interests of a foreign power rather than defending Haitian sovereignty.”
This is not just a Haitian crisis—it is a global scandal rooted in neo-colonial frameworks, where corrupt officials serve as gatekeepers for foreign agendas. They seek validation abroad while their own people are left to rot in poverty, violence, and institutional collapse. Their loyalty is not to Haiti, but to the hands that feed them in exchange for silence and obedience.”
.A Precursor to Mass Arrests?
As this scandal unfolds, whispers are growing louder about what could come next. The level of corruption exposed within the CPT—along with Washington’s clear frustration—suggests that more than reputations could fall.
“The level of corruption is so high that it is fair to say a wave of arrests will follow—and that spells long-awaited justice for the Haitian people.”
Justice may be slow, but it appears to be on its way. And if it lands with the full weight of American and international law, the fallout could permanently alter Haiti’s political landscape.
Fritz Jean: From Central Banker to Fallen Strategist
Once viewed as a technocrat and a steady hand at Haiti’s Central Bank, Fritz Jean’s descent into political intrigue is a cautionary tale. His failed plot against Prime Minister Fils-Aimé now overshadows any accomplishments he may have claimed during his time at the CPT. His term officially ends on August 7, but politically, he may already be finished.
What began as an attempt to recalibrate the council’s balance of power has instead exposed its deepest vulnerabilities—and Jean’s personal desperation.
The Final Days of a Dysfunctional Council
With just days before the scheduled transfer of power to Laurent Saint Cyr, this scandal threatens to derail the entire transitional process. The CPT, already criticized for being ineffective and divided, is now tainted by allegations of internal sabotage and foreign interference.
If Haiti is to have any hope of moving forward, its people must demand more than a reshuffling of elites. They must demand accountability.
The Haitian Pulse Remains Unrelenting
At The Haitian Pulse, we will not let this moment be buried beneath more press releases and empty speeches. We will continue to investigate, expose, and question the structures that allow such betrayals to fester.
“The attempted corruption orchestrated within the CPT marks not just a betrayal of democratic process, but a blatant assault on the Haitian people’s right to stability and self-governance. As arrests loom and power shifts, The Haitian Pulse will remain vigilant in tracking every twist and turn of this historic moment. The people deserve to know who governs them—and why.”
Comments