Haiti Plunges Into Anarchy: Gangs Flex Muscles As PM Vanishes

The security crisis in Haiti has worsened over the weekend, as police and troops battle armed gangs in the capital Port-au-Prince. The upheaval has set off a rising death toll, mass prison breaks and deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

A push by a notorious Haitian gang leader to overthrow the prime minister of the country this week has led to a new surge in violence, forcing over 15,000 people to flee their homes.

The situation has deepened the sense of despair and anarchy in the Caribbean country.

The island nation was thrown into chaos a day after acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry left for a meeting of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states in Guyana, vowing to call a general election by mid-2025.

That was the third announcement of a poll following previous pledges in 2022 and 2023.

Henry then flew to Kenya for talks on deploying the east African nation's police to Haiti to curb gang violence — despite a high court ruling in Nairobi that the deployment would be unconstitutional.

The latest crisis in Haiti began on February 29 when Jimmy Cherizier, an ex-police officer turned gang leader commonly known as "Barbecue" who leads a syndicate of gangs, vowed to stop the Henry returning to Haiti. “With our guns and with the Haitian people, we will free the country,” Cherizier declared.

The government announced a three-day state of emergency with a night-time curfew on Sunday after the gangs stormed two major prisons — the National Penitentiary and Croix des Bouquets — and freed 3,800 inmates while gunfire echoed across the capital.

Henry's whereabouts could were unknown after he left Kenya for Dubai, according to a source aware of the situation. He was due to travel through the US, but it was uncertain when — or if — he would return to Haiti.

“The situation is unprecedented in Haiti’s history...You could see the country’s history as a series of crises with brief periods of hope and peace – but there hasn’t been anything like this," Professor Matthew Smith, director of the Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery at UCL, London, told The Guardian.

Roots of the Haitian Crisis

Haiti was the first nation of the Caribbean to win independence in 1804, defeating French colonial forces to become the first black-ruled republic. But the following two centuries saw a series of unwelcome interventions by the United States.

US troops occupied the country following the 1991 coup against president Jean-Bertrand Aristide — which was backed by Washington — and again after the devastating 2010 earthquake. The assassination of former president Jovenel Moise in July 2021 brought further political upheaval, and another earthquake in August 2021 worsened the situation.

When Moise was assassinated, Haiti had no functioning parliament to choose his successor in line with the constitution. Two other figures challenged Henry for the position of prime minister — interim PM Claude Joseph and Senate President Joseph Lambert.

In July 2021, a US delegation travelled to Haiti to mediate the succession. A week later, the US, UN and other donors issued a statement urging Henry to form an "inclusive government."

Henry's unorthodox journey to power, accusations of potential gang affiliations and implication in Moise's murder, challenges in confronting Haitian issues and an unpopular move to slash fuel subsidies have all undermined his credibility.

What Steps Have the Haitian PM Taken to Conduct Elections?

How Much Power Can Gangs Wield in Haiti?

Haitian gangs have deep-rooted connections with the nation's political and economic elite, who use them for political mobilization, voter suppression, bribery, funding, hooliganism and public unrest. The Canadian government imposed sanctions on ex-president Michel Martelly for allegedly financing gangs. Corporate leaders collude with gangs to protect their businesses and oversee the flow of goods within and outside the country.

By late 2023, armed gangs reportedly controlled 80 percent of the capital, urban centers, major highways and the Artibonite agricultural region. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) estimates the presence of at least 300 criminal factions in Haiti. But local reports hint at a figure closer to 750 when self-defense groups are included.

Haiti witnessed a dramatic uptick in reported murders and kidnappings in 2023, according to the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH). Killings surged by 119 percent, reaching 4,789 last year from 2,183 in 2022, while kidnappings swelled by 83 percent from 1,359 in 2022 to 2,490 in 2023. Gangs grew bolder and escalated attacks on government officials and vital infrastructure.

Gender-based violence (GBV), including "collective rape," targeted women, children as young as 10, and the elderly to instill fear. Most GBV incidents occurred in gang-contested areas with limited access to essential services. Doctors Without Borders treated about 42 percent more GBV survivors in 2023 compared to the previous year.

In 2022, the UN Secretary-General described the Haitian National Police (HNP) as stretched thin and lacking resources. By December 2023, 1,663 officers had resigned, leaving the force with 13,196 officers. Additionally, 45 out of 412 police buildings were non-operational or under gang control. A July 2022 study by the International Crisis Group estimated that 40 percent of Haitian police officers had gang connections.

Any Way Out of the Haitian Crisis?

The key steps towards restoring order are dismantling gang power and organizing credible elections, though these objectives seem far-fetched. One proposal, supported by Henry, involves deploying international forces again. At a North American Leaders’ Summit in Mexico City in January 2023, US President Joe Biden and Canadian PM Justin Trudeau discussed the idea of a Canadian-led intervention, with the US being hesitant to send troops in again. While Trudeau was also cautious, Canada donated armored vehicles to the Haitian police.

United Nations officials have backed Henry's foreign troop deployment plan. But the UN Security Council raised concerns in light of the previous armed interventions in the country. Instead of a UN peacekeeping mission, it proposed a multinational force under Security Council authorization.