In celebration of Haiti’s independence on Jan. 1, friends of the country took the opportunity to salute the event and recall the historic contribution made by the nation. In a statement, Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of State, said, “on behalf of the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Haiti on the 216th anniversary of your independence. The story of the founding of Haiti, from the uprising of slaves to the creation of a Republic based on democratic principles, testifies to what can be accomplished when individuals are determined to work together for the greater good.” After the United States, Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and Canada’s Justin Trudeau were among the first countries to congratulate Haiti.