A brewing humanitarian crisis is threatening thousands of Haitians with violence and starvation. Even though widely unpopular Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced his plans to resign, hundreds of gangs continue a violent protest of the country’s political situation. The nation has been left in disarray, and many citizens fear for their lives.
Haiti is no stranger to adversity. In 2010, a catastrophic earthquake near the capital of Port-au-Prince left more than 200,000 people dead and spawned a cholera epidemic. Hurricane season routinely brings deadly storms with damaging winds and heavy rains to a flood-prone land.
These natural disasters have combined with political mismanagement and ineffective foreign influence to produce complex economic difficulties and political turmoil. Henry, a neurosurgeon by training, came to power during a particularly turbulent time; he was selected as the next Prime Minister of Haiti only days before the assassination of embattled President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. In fact, many in Haiti and abroad believed that Henry was involved in the planning of the assassination. In the chaotic aftermath, Henry claimed power in part due to pressure applied by a group of diplomats from the U.S. and other foreign nations.
One of Henry’s key goals as Prime Minister, and eventually as acting President, was to combat crime within Haiti. He was also a vocal critic of global wealth disparities. He called on wealthier countries for assistance, and he criticized the treatment of Haitian migrants, especially by the U.S. Border Patrol.
Throughout his term, Henry attempted to consolidate power. He dismissed members of his cabinet, and he refused to hold several scheduled elections. Violence was a common response to these actions, but his 2023 announcement of a further delay of elections, anti-governmental gang activity and other violent outbreaks intensified.
The gang activity reached crisis levels early in 2024. More than 200 armed gangs, made up in large part of former members of the military, have demonstrated in opposition to the Haitian government. The leader of one of the main gangs, former police officer Jimmy “Barbeque” Cherizier, has openly called his group’s activities a “revolution.” Violent crime is rampant, and the threat of mass starvation looms as citizens are afraid to leave their homes.
Henry traveled to Kenya in late February to try to organize help from east African nations to quell the violence. However, the situation became even worse in his absence, as a prison was overrun, leading to the escape of more than 4,000 inmates. When Haitian airports were overrun, Henry became stranded in Puerto Rico. Henry recently agreed to step down, but the violence has only strengthened.
Officials throughout the Caribbean are scrambling to stabilize the dire situation, but gangs continue to terrorize the country, and millions of Haitians face starvation. U.S. officials are keeping a close eye on the situation. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently voiced U.S. support for the region at an emergency conference in Kingston, Jamaica. Border states are bracing for a surge of refugees, and Governor Ron DeSantis has deployed hundreds of officers to secure the Florida coast.
