Haiti Retains Hope for Presidential Election Amid Gang Violence

Haiti faces severe gang violence under the leadership of Fritz Alphonse Jean. The Transitional Presidential Council emphasizes the need for unity against ongoing attacks while a Kenyan-led Multi-National Support Mission seeks to stabilize the country. Political instability worsened after President Jovenel Moise’s assassination in 2021. The current situation poses significant challenges for the upcoming presidential election.

Haiti retains aspirations for a forthcoming presidential election as Fritz Alphonse Jean, the newly appointed leader of the Transitional Presidential Council, emphasizes the critical issue of gang violence. This week, street gangs attacked Port Au Prince, controlling approximately eighty-five percent of the capital. Jean remarked, “Our country is at war and we need to be unified in order to win it.”

Despite the Trump administration’s cuts to USAID affecting Haiti, the Kenyan-led Multi-National Support Mission remains unaffected. This mission comprises eight hundred personnel of a total force of one thousand, with assurances of support confirmed by Kenyan President William Ruto in a call with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The UN Security Council authorized the security force in 2023, providing a glimmer of hope amid the chaos, as they aim to restore law and order in Haiti. The situation deteriorated substantially following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021, by Colombian mercenaries, leading to severe consequences for democracy in Haiti, with thousands dead and over a million displaced.

In summary, Haiti’s present circumstances are dire due to rampant gang violence and political instability following the assassination of its president. The new Transitional Council leader calls for unity in combating these gangs. While external aid reductions pose challenges, the Kenyan-led Multi-National Support Mission represents a crucial step toward restoring security and governance in Haiti. The outlook for the upcoming presidential election remains hopeful despite these obstacles.

Original Source: www.vaticannews.va