Haiti has plunged into chaos as Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigns amidst escalating violence and political turmoil.
He is stranded in Puerto Rico due to threats from armed gangs preventing his return, and his resignation leaves Haiti in a state of uncertainty, with discussions underway for a transitional government.
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So what daily life is like for people living in Haiti now? And why do criminal gangs have so much power in Haiti?
On today’s The Briefing afternoon episode, Bension Siebert sits down with Australian National University’s Professor Nicolas Lemay-Hebert to find out why Haiti is in such strife, and what will happen next.
Last week, thousands of criminals were set loose from Haiti’s prisons, with gangs taking control of the country’s airport.
Criminal gangs, historically intertwined with Haitian politics, wield significant power and influence, exacerbating the situation.
Professor Lemay-Hebert, from the Australian National University, sheds light on Haiti’s plight, emphasising the dire conditions faced by its people.
“You have to understand that the general life in Haiti is very tricky…It is absolutely hell on earth. We’re talking about hospitals with patients inside but absolutely no medical personnel,” he said.
“The gangs, there are different accounts there, but we’re talking about controlling eighty per cent of Port-au-Prince Haiti’s highly centralised countries. So whoever controls Port-au-Prince controls the country,” he added.
He also underscored the necessity of a free and fair electoral process, warning against international interference and emphasising the importance of an inclusive electoral council.
“Elections are always that when there’s someone who disagrees with what the internationals want, especially the Americans want, then the Americans, all of a sudden pull a few tricks from the, from the, from the basket.”
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