Faith, reflection, and political complexity at the heart of tributes—four years after an assassination that shook the nation.
Politics | The Haitian Pulse Editorial Team | July 9, 2025
On July 7, the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT) held a solemn Requiem Mass at the Villa d'Accueil in Musseau, honoring President Jovenel Moïse, assassinated four years ago in Pèlerin 5. The ceremony, led by Father Frantznel Limite, featured Moïse’s portrait and discreet floral tributes, embodying both respect and restraint (lenouvelliste.com).
A Moment of Reflection Amid Political Disarray
Despite the CPT’s lack of formal legitimacy, the Mass served as a moment of collective pause. With family members and many diplomats absent, the presence of CPT officials, alongside representatives from the national police, military, and government, was a nuanced acknowledgment of Moïse’s place in Haiti’s troubled journey.
While the Council may be a temporary, contested body, this event pointed to a rare consensus: four years later, Haitians still seek closure, accountability, and a way forward.
“You cannot heal a nation by burying its wounds under silence,” said one attendee softly as the bells of the Mass echoed through the hall. “Justice has been delayed so long that even remembrance feels like resistance.”
The Man Who Tried to Flip the Script
In his final year, Moïse launched initiatives aimed at reversing Haiti’s economic decline and reining in gang violence. Those efforts likely contributed to his death on July 7, 2021—and that context weighed heavily over the Mass. Attendees were reminded of a leader who, despite flaws, dared to envision a different path for the nation.
This reality forces us to reflect: was Moïse’s vision too radical for the forces that benefitted from Haiti’s instability? Did his attempt to break free from entrenched systems seal his fate?
Justice Still Pending
While officials offered prayers for peace, the crowd could feel the unsaid questions: Who ordered it? Who benefits? Why does impunity persist? The quiet of the Mass echoed a louder public demand for answers. Four years later, justice remains elusive, and many of the intellectual authors of this crime still walk free.
It is here that Haiti finds itself at a crossroads again. The people cannot afford to wait another four years to hear platitudes from officials. They deserve clarity. They deserve a country where leaders are not murdered in their homes and forgotten in the halls of power.
“The CPT may have organized this event, but real justice requires more than prayers. It demands courage and action from every corner of our fractured nation,” remarked a human rights activist outside the gates.
The CPT’s Complex Role
Though lacking democratic mandate, the CPT seized a civic moment by leading this remembrance. Its role may not win public trust, but by hosting this Mass, the Council acknowledged the emotional and moral weight of Moïse’s legacy—revealing the limits of power in crises.
At the same time, many question whether this gesture is merely symbolic. The CPT, like previous transitional governments, risks falling into the pattern of pacifying public sentiment while failing to address structural issues or deliver justice.
The Haitian Pulse Speaks
At The Haitian Pulse, we recognize the significance of this moment—not because it came from the CPT, but because it reflects a truth the Haitian people already carry in their hearts: Jovenel Moïse’s assassination was not just the murder of a man, but the silencing of a voice that, however imperfect, sought to challenge a corrupt order.
We believe it is dangerous to underestimate how the failure to achieve justice corrodes a nation’s soul. Haiti cannot move forward if its leaders can be assassinated with impunity. And while we acknowledge the CPT’s gesture, it is not enough to gather and pray while the architects of Moïse’s death live freely, some enjoying protection from international powers.
Haitians are a proud and resilient people. But pride alone will not protect the future. This is a call for unity, for vigilance, and for the courage to demand a new order where justice is not a luxury, but a foundation.
“We cannot afford to wait for international actors or transitional governments to act on our behalf,” says diaspora advocate Marie-Paul Denis. “What will happen, will happen when we least expect it—but the Haitian people must be the ones to decide what happens next.”
A Call to Action Amid Grief
This Requiem Mass should not be dismissed simply as a political ritual. It was a collective reckoning: a raw moment reflecting Haiti’s grief, its hunger for justice, and the hollow space left by unchecked violence. As Moïse himself once said, “A nation that does not remember its dead has no future.”
Haitians deserve answers—and accountability cannot wait any longer. Whether under a transitional body or an elected government, the demand is the same: find those responsible for Moïse’s death, and ensure they pay for it. Beyond memory, justice must be the foundation of healing.
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