paptimes.net

An official letter signed by Smith Augustin, a member of Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council (PTC), has exposed deep internal divisions within the body just days before the end of its mandate. 

Dated January 29, 2026, the correspondence formally opposes any attempt to remove the Council’s coordinator, Laurent Saint-Cyr, as a means of enabling the publication of a resolution dismissing Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

Augustin argues that such a move would be legally questionable and politically dangerous, warning it could worsen the institutional crisis and strain relations with international partners, particularly the United States, which has publicly expressed support for the Prime Minister. 

Citing the risk of an “institutional escalation,” he announced his decision to abstain from similar decision-making processes until February 7, 2026.