Amid ongoing security turmoil, Haitian authorities on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, commemorated the 222nd anniversary of the Battle of Vertières, the decisive military victory that secured Haiti’s independence. This year’s ceremony and speeches focused heavily on the country’s struggle for stability, with armed gangs portrayed as the modern heirs of past oppressors.
The official ceremony took place at the Villa d’Accueil, the headquarters of the transitional government, in the presence of members of the Presidential Transitional Council (CPT), Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, cabinet ministers, members of the diplomatic corps, and the high command of both the military and national police — all while parts of the capital remained paralyzed by insecurity.
In his address, CPT President Laurent Saint-Cyr drew a direct parallel between Haiti’s past battles and the current crisis.
“Yesterday, we fought a system that denied our humanity. Today, our enemies have changed their faces,” he said, referring to armed gangs linked to “transnational criminal networks, traffickers and money launderers plunging the country into chaos.”
Saint-Cyr said the “battle” currently fought by the Haitian National Police and the Armed Forces — with the support of foreign forces — to reclaim control of the territory represents the new front of the Haitian state.
Military Leadership Reaffirms Its Role
Lieutenant General Derby Guerrier, commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H), used his remarks to underscore the army’s sovereign mission.
“We are not an auxiliary force. We are the living expression of the national will to defend ourselves and remain free,” he declared.
Guerrier painted a stark picture of the insecurity crisis, calling it a “daily suffering affecting every household,” and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to working with the National Police to “ensure a secure environment.”
He also highlighted the deployment of troops to strategic infrastructure sites, including the Toussaint Louverture International Airport and the Péligre Dam. In a pointed message to international partners, he added:
“Investing in a strong Haitian army is investing in regional stability.”
Vertières as a Source of Lessons — and a Call for Unity
Both leaders invoked the symbolism of Vertières as a source of courage and national revival.
“At Vertières, the Haitian people showed that freedom is not granted, it is earned; and that when we unite, no force can break us,” Saint-Cyr reminded the audience.
He called for a moment of “collective clarity” to honor the immense sacrifices of Haiti’s ancestors.
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s office said Alix Didier Fils-Aimé emphasized his efforts to “modernize and strengthen the FAd’H,” initiatives described as part of a broader vision of “restored sovereignty.”
Looking Toward Elections and a Democratic Rebuilding Process
As Haiti moves into an electoral timeline leading up to the August 30, 2026, vote, Saint-Cyr urged all national actors to take part in the process of democratic reconstruction.
Only through “consultation, dialogue, and cooperation,” he said, can the country truly honor the legacy of Vertières and begin to climb out of its current crisis.
The road ahead remains long and uncertain — but Haitian authorities expressed hope that the spirit of the heroes of 1803 will serve as a guiding compass.
