As Haiti faces a severe socioeconomic, political, and security crisis, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé has hired an American lobbyist to represent the Haitian government’s interests in Washington. The revelation, reported by Haitian media outlet AyiboPost, has already sparked questions about the use of public funds amid extreme resource scarcity.
The lobbyist, Carlos Trujillo, is a former diplomat who served under the Trump administration. According to reports, he receives a monthly salary of $35,000, and his contract is intended to last for the duration of the transitional government’s mandate. Trujillo’s primary role is to advocate for Haiti with U.S. authorities and facilitate access to funding, political support, and assistance programs.
However, this expense has drawn criticism, especially given the country’s unprecedented economic crisis, soaring inflation, food shortages, and strained public services. Public sector teachers, healthcare workers, and many government employees in precarious situations are questioning the priority given to a foreign lobbyist paid tens of thousands of dollars each month.
Some critics also point to the lack of transparency surrounding such contracts. How can public funds be justified for lobbying services abroad while fundamental needs remain unmet domestically? Analysts have compared these expenditures to those allocated to presidential advisers or so-called “shadow intelligence” services, whose exact roles and financial benefits remain opaque to the public.
The use of American lobbyists is not new for Haitian authorities. Previous administrations have engaged intermediaries to advocate for the country in Washington, particularly regarding financial aid requests, security programs, or diplomatic negotiations. Yet the results of such efforts are often difficult to evaluate, and the tangible benefits for the Haitian population remain disputed.
For some observers, hiring Carlos Trujillo reflects a political strategy aimed at maintaining strong relations with the United States while securing diplomatic and financial support for the transitional government. For others, it highlights a recurring issue: the prioritization of costly services over the immediate needs of citizens.
The lobbying contract also raises questions of accountability. As public finance experts note, the Haitian government alone bears the financial and political responsibility for these decisions. The expenses incurred do not necessarily yield tangible results, and it is the state—and therefore Haitian taxpayers—who ultimately bear the consequences.
In a country where access to essential services remains limited, this decision underscores the tension between diplomatic strategy and social urgency. It also illustrates the ongoing challenge facing authorities: balancing the pursuit of international support with the vital needs of a population already weakened by economic crisis.
As the transitional government continues its mandate, the question remains: will these investments in foreign lobbying produce real benefits for the Haitian people, or will they only heighten frustration over public spending perceived as excessive and opaque?
