PM Fils-Aimé Departs for Vatican and Rome Amid Criticism That Gangs Are Advancing While PM Accumulates Foreign Trips

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé departed Haiti on May 8, 2026 at the head of a high-level government delegation for an official diplomatic mission to Rome and the Holy See, scheduled to run through May 11. The mission's stated objectives include strengthening diplomatic ties, consolidating humanitarian and development cooperation with the Vatican and Italian institutions, and what Haitian government sources described as 'spiritual mobilization' for peace in Haiti. The PM is expected to meet with Holy See officials, potentially including a papal audience with Pope Leo XIV (elected May 8, 2025), as well as representatives of international organizations based in Rome including the FAO and IFAD — both relevant to Haiti's acute food security crisis. The Vatican's Catholic Church network in Haiti operates approximately 300 schools and 50 health facilities, making it one of the most significant service providers remaining functional in gang-affected communities. The departure drew criticism from Haitian-language media and civil society: Rezo Nòdwès published commentary noting that 'gangs are gaining ground while Fils-Aimé is collecting foreign trips,' pointing to the simultaneous Viv Ansanm destruction of the Marchand-Dessalines police station on May 7 and Artibonite gang expansion. The Vatican trip follows PM Fils-Aimé's CNN/Amanpour interview on May 1 and reflects a deliberate strategy of intensive foreign engagement to consolidate support ahead of the planned August 30, 2026 elections.