222 years after Vertières, are we ready to regain this feat of sovereignty?

 Published on 18/11/2025

«A people that forgets its past is doomed to repeat it.» — Winston Churchill

Port-au-Prince, November 18, 2025 Two hundred and twenty-two years after the victory of Vertières, an urgent and unavoidable question remains: Do Haitians still act as a sovereign people? As the country faces a political, institutional, economic, and security crisis of a magnitude rarely seen since 1804, the commemoration of November 18 goes far beyond symbolism. It calls for a deep reflection on what we have accomplished and on how we intend to preserve and exercise our sovereignty. November 18, 1803, marks the moment when an enslaved people defied the impossible and overthrew the French colonial power. Vertières is not just a page of glory: it is a permanent reminder of the collective strength, discipline, courage, and political vision of our ancestors. Beyond the admiration this heritage inspires, we must ask ourselves: Have we demonstrated the intelligence and patriotism required to preserve and pass on this legacy? In 2025, Haiti is experiencing a historical fragility that starkly contrasts with the Dessalinian ideal. Insecurity affects daily life, institutions erode, the economy falters, external dependency grows, and national cohesion weakens. How can we celebrate Vertières when several pillars of sovereignty are crumbling? How can we evoke the victory of 1803 when we struggle to guarantee the order, stability, and collective dignity for which our heroes fought? In this context, the KPSN reminds the nation that the way out of the crisis must first and foremost be a Haitian solution. Faithful to the spirit of Vertières, the KPSN asserts that sovereignty is not a slogan but a daily practice: deciding for ourselves, ensuring our own security, rebuilding our institutions, and shaping our future according to our national interests. Vertières must stop being a mere memory and once again become our compass. No State can progress if it renounces its power to act. Vertières compels us to face reality. Our ancestors left us freedom, and with it, the responsibility to build a State worthy of that freedom. This responsibility is expressed through civic engagement, political will, respect for institutions, and the defense of our territory and dignity. Can we, in 2025, claim that we are fully honoring this heritage? The answer depends on the choices we make today. On this November 18, 2025, the KPSN calls for a national awakening not a momentary impulse, but a collective awareness that places sovereignty, order, stability, and dignity at the heart of the national project. Our ancestors accomplished the impossible; it is now up to us to extend their work through concrete and lasting actions. Vertières is not a distant memory: it is a living responsibility. A fundamental question is addressed to every citizen, every leader, and every actor in society: Are we ready to fully assume the legacy of Vertières?