Laurent Saint-Cyr’s Ouster: Smith Augustin Refuses and Suspends Participation in CPT Decisions Until February 7

Port-au-Prince, January 29, 2026 — The Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) is entering a new zone of turbulence. In a letter addressed to his fellow Council-Presidents, Smith Augustin clearly expressed his opposition to the move aimed at ousting the current CPT Coordinator, Laurent Saint-Cyr.

This initiative follows the crisis triggered by the attempt to dismiss Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé—a decision Augustin originally supported but now reevaluates due to the deep division it caused within the Council and the resulting diplomatic tensions, particularly with the United States.

Augustin questions the legal validity of the ouster. He argues that an unpublished resolution cannot legally repeal a previously published one, specifically the one establishing the rotation of the CPT coordination. He warned of a “spiraling institutional crisis,” questioning what would happen if the coordinator refused to publish the resolution: would they then fire the Secretary General or the Director of the National Press?

For Smith Augustin, this path lacks statesmanship. Consequently, he announced that he will abstain from participating in similar decisions until February 7, 2026, the official end of the CPT’s mandate. This “serene” stance marks a major political rupture within the Council, further weakening its collective governance in its final days.