In one of the latest attacks carried out in Port-au-Prince by the armed coalition 'Vivre Ensemble', led by Jimmy Chérizier, alias 'Barbecue', the chilling phrase was heard: "Do you see the windows? They are all on fire". The gangs that make up this coalition have recently resumed their actions in Carrefour-feuilles and Place Jeremie, forcing hundreds of residents to abandon their homes.
The attack on the facilities of Radio Télévision du Caribe (RTCV), the main media group in Haiti, highlights the control that these gangs maintain over recently acquired territories, despite the presence of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti since June 2024. A year ago, during a similar offensive in central Port-au-Prince, the RTCV facilities were targeted by projectiles, resulting in material damage, including the destruction of multiple windows.
Due to this rising insecurity, RTCV staff were forced to move to a safer location to continue operating. Amidst the escalating violence, media outlets and journalists have been constant victims. According to verified data from the UN, in 2024 at least 5,626 people lost their lives in Haiti due to the actions of criminal gangs, marking a significant increase from the previous year. Another 2,213 were injured and 1,494 were kidnapped.
In the latest attack on RTCV facilities, a building was seen engulfed in flames, demonstrating the danger faced daily by media professionals amid a climate of extreme violence in the country.
