Friday, August 21, 2026.
Haiti
Few countries in our hemisphere have endured as much, or been misunderstood as often, as Haiti.
Its modern story is too frequently told through images of political instability, poverty, corruption, natural disasters and, more recently, the extraordinary growth of armed gangs that have challenged the authority of the state itself. Governments have risen and fallen, international missions have arrived and departed, promises of reform have repeatedly been made, and yet ordinary Haitians continue to live with an uncertainty that has persisted for generations.
Today, Haiti once again finds itself at a crossroads.
Political institutions remain fragile, insecurity continues to affect large portions of the country, and the struggle to establish functioning democratic government has proven enormously difficult. Corruption, weak institutions and decades of political mismanagement have contributed to the crisis, while the international community, including the United States, continues to wrestle with the question of what meaningful and sustainable engagement with Haiti should actually look like.
But there is another Haiti that deserves to be remembered.
Haiti was born from one of the most extraordinary struggles for freedom in human history. In 1804, it became the world’s first independent Black republic and the first nation created through a successful revolt of enslaved people. The Citadelle Laferrière, rising dramatically above the mountains of northern Haiti, remains a physical monument to that independence and to the determination of a people who refused to surrender their freedom.
Beyond the headlines lies an extraordinarily beautiful Caribbean country. There are the mountains surrounding Cap-Haïtien, the historic ruins of Sans-Souci, the artistic traditions and colorful architecture of Jacmel, spectacular coastlines, waterfalls and beaches, and a culture expressed through music, painting, food, craftsmanship and traditions unlike anywhere else in the Caribbean.
That contrast is perhaps what makes Haiti so compelling.
It is a nation possessing tremendous cultural wealth while suffering extraordinary political and economic hardship. And behind every discussion of governments, gangs, international interventions and political failures are millions of Haitians who simply want what people everywhere want: security, opportunity, functioning institutions and the ability to build a better future for their children.
One hopes that there will come a day when Haiti is no longer introduced to the world primarily through tragedy.
Perhaps someday the conversation will instead be about visiting Cap-Haïtien, standing beneath the walls of the Citadelle, discovering the art of Jacmel, exploring its coastline and experiencing firsthand the history, culture and extraordinary resilience of the Haitian people.
This week, we turn our attention to Haiti, a nation born from an extraordinary fight for freedom, tested repeatedly throughout its history, and still waiting for the stability and opportunity its people so deeply deserve.
Brett Mikkelson
Founder, B.M. Investigations, Inc. – Private Investigations in Panama
The Intensification of Gang Violence in the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac Area and Cité Soleil Underscores the Urgent Need to Strengthen the Protection of the Population
Since March 2026, the area known as the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac and several neighborhoods in the commune of Cité Soleil have experienced a resurgence of armed violence. Gang clashes have unfolded in a context marked both by the reconfiguration and weakening of the Viv Ansanm gang coalition and by increased pressure from security forces in other parts of the capital.
Between 6 March and 31 July 2026, at least 613 people were killed and 375 others injured, primarily during confrontations between criminal gangs. More than one third of the victims were persons not associated with gangs, including 111 women and 77 children. In addition, more than 176 women and girls were subjected to rape, including gang rape, by gang members, often as a form of “punishment” because they lived in areas controlled by rival gangs.
“The particularly heavy human toll of the gang clashes in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area in recent months underscores the urgent need to strengthen the protection of the population, notably by ensuring that the Gang Suppression Force is provided with the resources necessary for its full and rapid deployment”, said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti and Head of BINUH.The gangs also attacked public and private buildings, leading to the suspension of most commercial activities and basic services in the neighborhoods affected by the violence, including schools and health services. The humanitarian and socio-economic impact has been severe, with more than 18,000 people forced to flee their homes. According to information collected by the Human Rights Service (HRS) of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), several of the acts documented during these periods of violence – including killings, gang rapes, and the destruction of property and buildings housing essential service providers – could constitute serious violations of international human rights law. For example, on the evening of 13 June, shortly after the FIFA World Cup match between Haiti and Scotland, a gathering of more than 300 people, including a traditional musical group, was attacked by gang members, leaving at least 61 people dead and 20 others injured.
Among the victims were at least seven children, the youngest of whom was just seven years old.This level of gang fighting and human rights violations had not been documented in this part of the capital since January and February 2024. However, this area remains highly sought after by gangs because it is home to several commercial businesses and is crossed by two strategic roads that allow trucks coming from the capital’s container port and the Varreux fuel terminal to reach the country’s main highway linking the north of Haiti.In this context, the persistence of high levels of violence in the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac and Cité Soleil, coupled with the absence of a sustained police presence, has had serious consequences for human rights, economic stability, and State authority.
BINUH reiterates the need to strengthen the operational capacities of the Haitian security forces, ensure the effective protection of the population, and combat impunity for human rights violations. BINUH also underscores the critical importance of continuing efforts to ensure the full deployment of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), in accordance with its mandate, by providing it with the personnel, equipment, specialized capabilities, and financial resources required. Such a presence is essential to regain control of areas affected by gangs, protect the population, and create the conditions necessary for the restoration of State authority in the areas most affected by the violence.
Opposition Wants Election Security
Haitian politician and lawyer André Michel has called for “a minimum level of security” to be restored before elections are held in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
Michel, who has previously declared his intention to run for president, made the appeal ahead of a visit by an Organisation of American States (OAS) delegation that includes CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett. He warned that “without a minimum level of security, armed gangs will win the elections”.
OAS Secretary-General Albert R. Ramdin, who is leading the delegation of regional and international partners to Haiti this week, said the visit aims not only to demonstrate solidarity but also to strengthen coordination and support progress in security, elections, institutional strengthening, humanitarian assistance and long-term development.
Last week, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé said “the elections will take place this year, no matter what” as the Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) published its final list of approved political groups.
The CEP has scheduled the first round of long-delayed presidential and legislative elections, alongside a constitutional referendum, for December 13. The vote would be the first since 2016, when President Jovenel Moïse was elected. Moïse was assassinated on July 7, 2021.
In his statement, Michel, who has described himself as a human rights and anti-corruption lawyer, said Haiti should use the presence of the OAS-CARICOM delegation “to reiterate the need to restore a minimum level of security before the elections are held in Haiti”.
“Unblocking the national highways remains the fundamental condition for holding the elections,” he said, adding, “we cannot hold elections only to hand power back to armed gangs and their political allies.
“The international community and the government must assume their responsibilities. I will register to vote in Port-au-Prince this week,” he said, urging supporters and sympathisers to do the same.
“Security is essential for a successful electoral process. The transition has gone on for too long. It must end,” Michel said.
Meanwhile, local media reports say Germany is considering a contribution to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), approved by the United Nations Security Council. According to the reports, Germany is willing to provide airlift capacity in the short term for the force, which will include personnel from Chad, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Guatemala and Côte d’Ivoire.
The reports said Germany is expected to transport equipment and supplies for troops operating in Haiti in the coming weeks.
According to the deployment schedule, the goal for August is to increase the force to between 2,000 and 2,500 soldiers and police officers with the arrival of the second half of the Chadian contingent, complementing the planned deployment of 1,500 soldiers and the first specialised units from Sri Lanka.
A large deployment of forces from Latin America and Asia is expected in September as the mission seeks to extend operations beyond Port-au-Prince. Contingents are expected from Guatemala, El Salvador and Côte d’Ivoire.
The priority will be targeted, intelligence-led operations in the Artibonite department and stronger protection for humanitarian corridors.
Authorities hope to achieve full deployment of 5,500 military and police personnel, along with 50 civilian advisers, by October, with the arrival of the main contingent from Bangladesh and police units from The Bahamas and Jamaica.
OAS warns Haiti Needs Help as it Prepares to Hold Elections for the First Time since 2016
Albert Ramdin, secretary general of the Organization of American States, said Wednesday during a trip to Haiti that the country needs help fighting gangs and seizing back territory as it prepares to hold general elections for the first time in more than a decade.
Ramdin spoke as he concluded a trip to the troubled Caribbean country, where he met with the prime minister and other officials.
He said the new U.N.-backed gang suppression force needs more personnel, equipment and funding.
“The efforts of the (force) are essential to improving security and public safety, and to creating the conditions for a safe electoral process,” he said. “Progress must be visible and measurable as soon as possible.”
Ramdin said priorities are securing the main route to the main international airport; ensuring ongoing access to the airport and seaport; and restoring safe access to Haiti’s southern region. Gangs currently control the main routes leading in and out of the capital.
He also called on Haiti to step up registration and identification of voters ahead of the Dec. 13 general elections. Haiti hasn’t had a president since Jovenel Moïse was killed at his private residence in July 2021. Since then, gang violence has only surged, displacing a record 1.5 million people.
Ramdin promised to keep “mobilizing political, technical and financial support” for the Caribbean country.
He said the OAS will work with the Pan American Health Organization to build trauma centers to treat wounded Haitian police officers as they continue to push back against gangs that control an estimated 70% of Port-au-Prince and swaths of land beyond the capital.
Ramdin said he also plans to set up a delegation of business leaders to talk about potential investment projects in Haiti, where poverty, hunger and unemployment are deepening.
“Haiti is at a decisive point,” he said. “The future of Haiti belongs first and foremost to the Haitian people. But the international community also has responsibilities.”
Haiti’s Displacement Crisis Hits Record 1.5 Million Amid Escalating Violence
Nearly 1.5 million persons are currently displaced in Haiti, according to the latest report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). More than half are women and girls, reflecting a worsening humanitarian crisis driven by escalating violence that continues to force families from their homes across both urban and rural areas.
“Haiti’s displacement crisis is entering an even more alarming phase,” said Gregoire Goodstein, IOM Chief of Mission in Haiti. “The crisis is no longer confined to specific neighborhoods or regions. As violence spreads into areas once considered safe, more and more people are being forced to flee repeatedly, often with nowhere left to turn.”
The record figure reported by IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) reflects a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis marked by repeated waves of displacement, with more than 18,000 people forced to flee renewed violence in Cité Soleil in May and a further 5,000 displaced in the country’s South-East Department in recent weeks.
Armed attacks are no longer confined to traditional hotspots, increasingly affecting communities that had previously served as places of refuge and leaving vulnerable populations with fewer safe options as humanitarian needs continue to grow.
In May, renewed violence in Cité Soleil displaced more than 18,000 people within days, pushing the number of internally displaced persons in Port-au-Prince above 300,000 for the first time on record. Most fled to overcrowded spontaneous sites or sought safety with already vulnerable host communities.
Just weeks earlier, armed attacks in Haiti’s South-East Department displaced more than 5,000 people in a region previously considered a refuge for those escaping insecurity elsewhere in the country. The displacement illustrates a worrying shift, as communities that once offered safety are increasingly becoming displacement focus points themselves.
The growing displacement crisis is being compounded by continued forced returns. Since the beginning of 2026, more than 110,000 Haitians have been forcibly returned to the country, including women, children and other vulnerable groups.
Upon return, many arrive with no resources and limited support, often to communities already struggling to absorb new arrivals or to areas affected by armed group activity. Vulnerable profiles remain prominent among returnees, including unaccompanied children, pregnant women and postpartum women, who continue to be received in fragile and often unsafe conditions, with limited access to basic services and protection.
Across displacement sites and host communities, people report critical shortages of shelter, food, clean water, healthcare and psychosocial support. Children, pregnant women, persons with disabilities and female-headed households remain among the most vulnerable. Overcrowded living conditions and limited access to services are increasing protection risks, including exploitation and abuse, while leaving thousands exposed to worsening humanitarian conditions.
With the Atlantic hurricane season now underway, humanitarian concerns are mounting. Flooding and severe weather could further worsen already fragile living conditions, particularly in overcrowded displacement sites where many people lack adequate shelter and access to basic services.
Despite insecurity and challenging operating conditions, IOM continues to deliver life-saving assistance in some of Haiti’s most affected areas. Working alongside national authorities and humanitarian partners, IOM provides emergency shelter, healthcare, psychosocial support, water, sanitation and hygiene services, relief items and site management assistance to displaced communities.
The needs of Haitian communities are clear: safety, access to vital services, legal identity and livelihoods that allow people to support themselves and their families. As violence spreads and displacement continues to rise, sustained investment in humanitarian assistance, recovery efforts and community resilience remains critical to helping vulnerable communities rebuild their lives and reduce the risk of repeated displacement.
