Gangs in Haiti have been taking advantage of the political turmoil in the country to seize control, creating chaos by closing airports and ports. The Transition Council was established in April with the aim of selecting the next prime minister and forming a new Cabinet, hoping to restore peace following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
The violent actions of the gangs have complicated efforts to carry out democratic elections in Haiti, which have not been held in years. The U.S. embassy has condemned the efforts of criminal groups to block travel to and from the capital, Port-au-Prince, through acts of armed violence and disruption of transport infrastructure.
Amid this tense climate, shootouts between gangs and police have been recorded in different parts of the city. The swearing-in of a new prime minister was marred by acts of violence, such as the attack on a Spirit Airlines flight that was shot at as it approached landing at Port-au-Prince airport. A flight attendant sustained minor injuries during the incident.
The gangs have managed to consolidate their power in a context of authority vacuum. Meanwhile, the Transition Council has faced internal conflicts and political disputes, going so far as to dismiss the interim prime minister they had appointed six months earlier. Organizations like the Organization of American States have attempted to mediate in the disagreements to salvage the fragile democratic transition in the country, with no positive results.
The political instability has generated panic among the population, leading to school closures and plunging several areas into chaos. The dismissal of the interim prime minister and his replacement by a businessman has triggered further unrest in Haiti. The international airport was temporarily closed following the armed attack on the Spirit Airlines flight, highlighting the serious situation of violence in the Caribbean country.
