President Biden and Secretary General Almagro,

It is unacceptable that the United States and Organization of American States are supporting Jovenel Moïse in his attempts to grab power in Haiti. As you well know, his term officially expired on February 7, 2021. There is no justification for extending his term by a year.

Moïse has been operating outside of the bounds of the Haitian Constitution for years, including his 2019 dissolution of Parliament, recent firings of Supreme Court justices and persecution of political opponents. Most troubling has been the state violence in response to huge peaceful demonstrations, which has included attacks on journalists, targeted killings of activists and a massacre in a poor neighborhood.

We stand in solidarity with our neighbors in Haiti, and we demand the U.S. and OAS reverse course, denounce Moïse’s attempt to stay in power and call on him to resign. 

Furthermore, both the U.S. government and the OAS Secretary General should withdraw their support for the United Nations missions in Haiti, which have exacerbated the suffering of the Haitian people, most infamously by bringing cholera that caused 30,000 deaths. 

The U.S. and OAS must respect the sovereignty and self-determination of the Haitian people. Only the Haitian people have the authority and capability to resolve their internal problems and determine their futures.

In solidarity with Haiti,