Chaos and Violence Grip Haiti: Gangs Push for Prime Minister’s Resignation

Gang leaders are making a push to compel the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is presently out of the country. They control approximately 80% of Port-au-Prince.

Since 2020, violent gang conflicts have claimed the lives of thousands in the nation.

According to a government statement, two prisons—one in the capital and another in nearby Croix des Bouquets—were raided over the weekend. The statement labeled these acts as “disobedience” posing a threat to national security. Consequently, an immediate night-time curfew, commencing at 20:00 local time (01:00 GMT on Monday), has been implemented in response.

Several individuals, including gang members implicated in the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, were apprehended in Port-au-Prince.

The recent escalation in violence commenced on Thursday when the prime minister departed for Nairobi to discuss the deployment of a Kenya-led multinational security force to Haiti.

Jimmy Chérizier, a prominent gang leader known as “Barbecue,” announced a coordinated effort to oust him. Chérizier, a former police officer believed to be responsible for numerous massacres in Port-au-Prince, asserted unity among armed groups in provincial towns and the capital.

In light of the situation, Haiti’s police union appealed to the military for assistance in fortifying the capital’s primary prison. However, the compound was breached late on Saturday. As of Sunday, the prison remained unsecured, with Reuters reporting the discovery of three deceased inmates in the courtyard.

Journalists from AFP and Reuters observed approximately 10 bodies, some bearing bullet wounds, within the prison. Additionally, a volunteer prison worker relayed that 99 inmates, including former Colombian soldiers implicated in President Moïse’s murder, opted to remain in their cells to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Since President Moïse’s assassination in 2021, violence has been rampant. With no successor appointed and no elections conducted since 2016, Haiti has been devoid of elected government officials since January 2023.

Since President Moïse’s assassination in 2021, violence has been rampant. With no successor appointed and no elections conducted since 2016, Haiti has been devoid of elected government officials since January 2023.

The UN reported that over 8,400 individuals fell victim to gang violence in Haiti last year, encompassing fatalities, injuries, and abductions—more than double the figures recorded in 2022. The populace’s outrage over the staggering levels of violence, coupled with the political void, has spurred numerous protests demanding the prime minister’s resignation.