February 16, 2026
A U.S. warship arrived Tuesday off the coast of the Haitian capital amid extremely high political tensions ahead of a key date.
The USS Southland, a U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer, is currently patrolling the Bay of Port-au-Prince, accompanied by two U.S. Coast Guard vessels.
This military presence comes just days before February 7, which marks the official end of the mandate of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT).
Although the CPT has formally agreed to step down, several of its members remain involved in political negotiations, in defiance of warnings from Washington. Five of them are in fact subject to U.S. sanctions, including visa restrictions, for attempting to extend their influence beyond their mandate.
The political situation remains extremely confused: at least five distinct groups are currently negotiating the country’s future without reaching an agreement. At the same time, insecurity persists.
Despite some recent operations by law enforcement forces against armed gangs, violence continues to claim civilian victims and to target national symbols, such as the FIFA sports center in Croix-des-Bouquets, which was recently set on fire.
Caught between an institutional vacuum and chronic violence, Haiti is still awaiting the beginning of a credible and peaceful transition.
