The Organization of American States agreed Wednesday to send a five-member delegation to Haiti no later than mid-June to see if they can help the Caribbean nation break a crippling political impasse that could derail presidential and legislative elections this year.
The highly anticipated OAS mission will unfold over three days in Port-au-Prince, cost about $24,000 and consist of the representatives of five member states: Canada, Costa Rica, Ecuador, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the United States. The U.S. has agreed to pick up most of the tab following the OAS Permanent Council’s unanimous offer in March to the Haitian government to help facilitate a political dialogue.
According to Wednesday’s resolution approved by the permanent representatives of the OAS after negotiations, delegation members will be participating in their own capacity but with the permission of their respective governments. They also will be joined by a representative of the general secretariat of the OAS on the trip. The mission will present a report with its conclusions and recommendations within two weeks of its return.
This is not the first time the OAS, which has a controversial history in Haiti, has stepped into the political fray. But unlike previous periods, the government and members of the opposition and civil society are not just facing a deepening political crisis, they are locked in a constitutional battle while the country is also dealing with a collapsing economy, increased social unrest, rising humanitarian needs and widespread violence.
Civil society groups and opposition parties in Haiti say they no longer recognize President Jovenel Moïse because his term expired on Feb. 7 under the current Haitian constitution. They have also expressed concerns about Moïse’s increasingly authoritarian rule since he began one-man rule in January 2020, and say elections under him would not be free, fair or credible. Instead of preparing to head to the ballot box, they have been pushing for a transitional government and the removal of their unpopular president.
For his part, Moïse argues that he still has about nine months left in office — a view supported by the Biden administration and OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro. Moïse has said he plans to hold elections, which are the only way forward, but only after a June 27 referendum on a new constitution.
Moïse’s refusal to leave power and his push of the controversial referendum, which most Haitian legal experts have said is illegal, has added to the turmoil and raises questions about the potential success of the mission.
Earlier this week, the Biden administration once more reiterated its calls for elections in Haiti and expressed concerns about the dire conditions in the country. During a visit to the inauguration of newly elected Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, met with Moïse. Thomas-Greenfield conveyed the administration’s deep concern about Haiti’s ongoing political impasse, a lack of accountability for human rights violations, and deteriorating security conditions, the U.S. mission said in a readout of the meeting.
Thomas-Greenfield also noted that to date, preparations for the June 27 constitutional referendum “have not been sufficiently transparent or inclusive,” and she reiterated that Haiti must hold free, fair and transparent legislative and presidential elections in 2021. The mission said Moïse affirmed his commitment to holding elections on that timeline.
Until now Moïse has ignored U.S. concerns about the referendum, and the U.S. has not said what its next steps will be. The referendum is not expected to be among the issues the OAS delegation tackles. In a March resolution the OAS steered clear of it, and an attempt by the Haitian government to have it be part of the discussions got pushback within the hemispheric body. Still, the June 27 vote remains a huge obstacle in any discussions going forward.
During Wednesday’s discussion on the upcoming mission, the representative to Nicaragua expressed concerns, while Haiti’s representative, Bocchit Edmond welcomed the visit — and its composition.
“We have no doubt that their work will serve to further buttress the longstanding tradition of excellent traditions between my country and the OAS,” said Edmond, adding that Moïse, who requested the mission, hopes that delegation members “will look closely at all aspects of our national life in order to see how we can put our heads together and move toward a more peaceful and productive construct.”
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