Fritz Alphonse Jean, a Haitian economist and former head of the central bank, became the rotating chair of Haiti’s interim presidential council on March 7, 2025, becoming the highest executive position in a nation struggling with a bloody war with armed gangs.
After a more tense transfer in October when the first president declined to sign the transition order due to an unsolved corruption problem, Jean succeeded architect Leslie Voltaire in a cordial ceremony.
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The event where Jean congratulated Voltaire took place in the Villa d’Accueil, now the government headquarters, rather than the National Palace in downtown Port-au-Prince, which is currently the scene of regular gunfights.
In a speech, he declared, “Today our country is at war, and it is imperative we unite to win.” He also promised to provide a “corrective war budget” and train over 3,000 new recruits for the army and police this year to overcome persistent staffing shortages.
The national police still lack adequate cash and weaponry, but the government spent around $227 million, or 9% of its 2024–2025 budget, on them, according to U.N. data.
A U.N.-backed force, with roughly 1,000 largely Kenyan troops, has partially deployed to Haiti to aid strengthen police, but since its arrival gangs have continued to gain ground, pushing hundreds of thousands more from their homes. Currently, more than 1 million people—nearly 10% of the most populous country in the Caribbean—are internally displaced.
In a letter obtained by a popular media house last month, the U.N. stated that Haiti’s request for a more financially stable peacekeeping force is not deemed feasible unless it first significantly lessens the existing control of gangs. Instead, the U.N. suggested a hybrid model to increase the limited amount of voluntary security assistance that has been received thus far. Jean also reaffirmed his pledge to organize protracted elections by the constitutional date of February 7, 2026, a measure supported by the US but criticized for potentially legitimizing influential gang leaders.
According to Voltaire, there was “an atmosphere of mutual respect, friendship, solidarity, and continuity” during the recent changeover.
Jean’s tenure will expire on August 7 of this year, and businessman Laurent Saint-Cyr will take over until the deadline in February 2026.
The leadership agenda still does not include three council members who are suspected of wrongdoing but still hold their positions on the nine-member senior executive council.
Several facets of society, including the nation’s two leading police unions, have criticized the transitional council, which was established in April of last year and has been characterized by political infighting, for failing to confront the violence.
