How gangs came to dominate Haiti

The spiral of gang violence sparked by the still-unsolved assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 has left much of the poverty-stricken Caribbean country on the brink of collapse 

U.S.
Puerto Rico (U.S.)
Dominican Rep.


50km 30 miles
HAITI
Port-au-Prince

Gangs control 80% of capital
Acute hunger affecting 4.35m, almost half of population
More than 1,200 murders to date in 2024
Jovenel Moïse
PORT-AU-PRINCE
Parliament
Prison Civile de la Croix des Bouquets
Presidential  palace
National Penitentiary
2km 1.25 miles

Jan 2010: Haiti devastated by 7.0-magnitude earthquake that kills more than 300,000 people

Jul 2021: President Jovenel Moïse shot dead by group of foreign mercenaries, mostly Colombians

Ariel Henry (right), designated by Moïse as prime minister shortly before his death, takes over as caretaker leader

Jan 2023: Government fails to hold elections, citing unprecedented levels of gang violence. Opposition to Henry increases

Feb 25, 2024: Henry travels to Kenya to build support for multinational security force
to shore up order

Feb 29: Armed gangs controlled by former police officer Jimmy “Barbecue”
Chérizier (right), carry out series of coordinated attacks across Port-au-Prince

Mar 1: Henry secures agreement from Kenya to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti

Mar 2-4: Gangs storm two prisons – freeing more than 4,000 inmates – and lay siege to international airport. State of emergency declared

Mar 5: Henry’s return flight forced to divert to Puerto Rico after Dominican Republic denies access for security reasons

Mar 12: Ariel Henry announces he will resign once transitional council is created

Sources: AP, Reuters, BBC
Pictures: Getty Images, Voa Kreyòl © GRAPHIC NEWS