Jocelerme Privert, the former interim President of the Republic of Haiti, has announced that he is not ruling out a potential run in the country’s upcoming presidential elections. Speaking on Thursday, May 28, 2026, during an interview on Radio Magik 9, the former provisional head of state delivered comments that, while stopped short of a formal campaign launch, serve as a calculated and high-profile political signal.
“If there is a need for me to run for the presidency, I don’t see why I would refuse,” Privert told journalist Roberson Alphonse on the Panel Magik broadcast. Privert, who led the nation’s transitional government from February 14, 2016, to February 7, 2017, explicitly stated that he would have no objection to reassuming the country’s highest office to drive a transformation benefiting both present and future generations. However, the 57th president urged a broader perspective, noting that Haiti does not need a political messiah or a “providential man,” but rather committed citizens rallied around a shared political vision capable of breaking the current socio-political deadlock.
To reinforce his political legitimacy, the predecessor to President Jovenel Moïse highlighted his deep roots and continued presence in the country. Since stepping down from power in 2017, Privert stated he has never left Haitian territory for more than eight consecutive days. He argued that this firsthand experience with the severe decline of domestic living standards makes it impossible for him to remain detached. Privert concluded that his primary concern is providing the nation’s youth with genuine economic opportunities and a renewed sense of hope, proving they can successfully build their lives within their own homeland.
