A civil war is brewing in Haiti—at least that’s what the Haitian gang leader, ex-policeman Jimmy “Barbeque” Cherizier said in a warning to the prime minister. In his warning he said that if the Prime Minister Ariel Henry “does not resign…we’ll be heading straight for a civil war that will lead to genocide.”
Barbeque and his gang have been in opposition to the prime minister ever since he assumed office in 2021 without an election, subsequent to the assassination of former President Jovenel Moise. Ever since that time, gangs have utterly dominated Haiti; they are estimated to control approximately 80% of the capital today.
More than a thousand people have lost their lives to gang violence since the start of this year, and virtually everyone lives in constant terror that they, too, may fall victim. Reports are circulating now of dead corpses lying in the street with no one to remove them.
Recently, the gangs orchestrated an enormous prison break that led to the escape of thousands of inmates. At this time, the gangs have seized control of Haiti’s primary airport, even forcing the prime minister, who was out of the country at the time much of this occurred, to divert his return flight to the Dominican Republic. It’s also left many Americans and other foreigners stranded, unsure of how to escape.
The Dominican Republic, which shares an island with Haiti, is also experiencing difficulties stemming from gang rule; in response, it is enhancing border security to prevent the spread of violence from Haiti.
The future of Haiti remains unclear. The gangs are causing chaos. From here, it is impossible to predict how things are going to end.
Haiti is a country paralyzed, not just by the gangs’ stranglehold but by a systemic failure that spans decades of multiple political administrations. Corruption and mismanagement have long been hallmarks of Haiti’s political landscape, exacerbating the suffering of its people. The international community has intervened sporadically, with efforts often criticized as too little, too late, or misdirected–but none of those efforts have led to the stabilization of Haiti. At best, those efforts have led to temporary moments of peace and progress, which is typically followed by more chaos and corruption. With the current situation deteriorating so rapidly, the call for more substantial and effective international assistance is louder than ever. However, one must ask, will it make a difference this time, and if not, what should the international community do so that it does make a prolonged difference?
Economically, Haiti remains one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere despite its natural resources. The gangs, thriving in this vacuum of power and authority, are not just criminal enterprises but have often become de facto rulers in many areas—providing a twisted form of governance in the absence of a stable state. They exploit the population, extort businesses, and control the distribution of essential goods, further deepening the crisis; sometimes they do all of this with the support of politicians who are more interested in lining their own pockets than in seeing Haiti recover and grow.
In this cauldron of despair, the resilience of the Haitian people is often hailed, but it’s a resilience born of necessity, not choice. The spirit of the population is truly remarkable, but one must wonder how much more they can withstand before the country is completely in chaos, led by gangs.
For Haiti, the path forward is uncertain and bleak. The country is in critical need of robust international intervention to restore order and support the establishment of a legitimate government that can actually maximize its power to lead the country forward. Yet, skepticism abounds, with past failures casting long shadows. The fear is not just of a continuing descent into chaos but of a complete collapse, leaving a void that could cause further destabilization not only to Haiti but impact the surrounding region.
As the world watches, the question remains: can Haiti find a way out of this cycle of violence and despair? It seems like the answer is no, but if the international community is willing to invest deeply and consistently in the country’s future by supporting Haitians in their quest for stability, justice and a dignified life, things can begin to turn around. The tragedy of Haiti is not something that we’ve seen; the difference is we actually have the ability to do something about it now.