Political Unrest Shakes Haiti Once Again: The Caribbean Nation Enters Another Dark Chapter in its History
Opinion Analysis by Johnny Achkar, Staff Writer
July 23rd, 2021
In what can only be described as a scene out of a Rambo movie, a squad of Spanish-speaking commandos and two Haitian Americans attacked President Moïse’s house early Wednesday, shooting him and injuring his wife, Martine Moïse. They were informed that they were carrying out a judge's order to arrest the president. They claimed to be from the US Drug Enforcement Administration as they encroached on the presidential residence. The heinous killing created a political vacuum that has exacerbated the turbulence and bloodshed that has engulfed Haiti for months, threatening to plunge one of the world's most unstable countries even further into anarchy.
According to Haitian authorities, 20 of the 28 assailants have been apprehended, three have been killed, and five are still on the loose. They have recognized the men as Colombian natives with the exception of the two Haitian Americans. Colombian officials have identified the detainees as former soldiers of the Colombian army, which has become a hotbed for paid mercenaries and private security companies; moreover, the enterprise has evolved into a complicated global web, although these supposed commandos had no escape plan at hand, as they were easily captured after the operation. Whoever ordered this operation had one goal in mind: to destabilize an already fragile nation.
On February 7, 2017, President Jovenel Moïse was sworn in as Haiti's president, inheriting a country in disorder. He also leaves it in disarray. He promised to strengthen institutions, tackle corruption, and attract more investment and jobs to the poorest country in the hemisphere when he took office. However, this idea never materialized, and his presidency was dogged from the start by large protests. After dissolving a majority of Parliament in January 2020 due to a postponement of parliamentary elections, he had been reigning by decree for more than a year.
President Moïse’s death has left a massive political vacuum. Under the Haitian Constitution, the president of the Supreme Court of Haiti would temporarily seize power; sadly, he recently succumbed to COVID-19, which means that a new leader would have to be chosen by the National Assembly. Nevertheless, that is not feasible since the legislature is practically outdated: the lower house members' terms have all ended, as have the tenure of two-thirds of the Senate members. Due to the president's assassination, a succession crisis is currently unfolding. On Thursday, Haiti's political storm grew stronger as two rival prime ministers claimed the country's leadership, igniting a dramatic power battle over who had the legal ability to govern.
Since the end of the cruel dictatorships of Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier from 1957 to 1986, the country has suffered with political instability as well as severe poverty and crime. This year, criminal gangs have forced thousands of people from their homes, demonstrators seeking Moïse's resignation in 2019 have shut down much of the economy, and the country has yet to begin vaccinating its 11 million people against the new coronavirus, which is on the rise. Gangs regularly target police and military personnel, making them a target for groups. Masked police officers claiming to be members of a disgruntled party attacked several police stations in March to release comrades accused of taking part in a coup attempt.
As previously mentioned, political turmoil is not foreign to Haiti. Unfortunately, history tends to repeat itself. The interim administration of Haiti has asked the United States to send troops to defend critical infrastructure as it works to stabilize the country and prepare for elections. The unexpected appeal for US military assistance recalled the upheaval that followed Haiti's previous presidential killing in 1915, when an enraged mob pulled President Vilbrun Guillaume Sam out of the French Embassy and beat him to death. As a result, President Woodrow Wilson dispatched Marines to Haiti. The Biden administration has not yet offered any indication that military help will be provided. It is only now planning to deploy FBI agents to help investigate the crime that has plunged Haiti into a destabilizing war for power and constitutional deadlock.
President Moïse had many enemies, at home and abroad. His drift towards authoritarianism alienated many in his inner circle, which made the plot to assassinate him easier to implement. The U.N. envoy to Haiti has stated that interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph is in charge. Since gaining power, Joseph has declared a 15-day "state of siege" in Haiti. Security personnel are increasing their authority to conduct searches and seizures, as well as detain people of interest, at this time. Some civil liberties have also been suspended, including the right to demonstrate and hold large gatherings. If Mr. Joseph fails to cement his control over the nation, the country could easily slip further into anarchy and succumb to mob control. Some will argue that the request for military assistance will open doors for a future intervention or invasion of the Caribbean nation. In some ways, that is correct; Haiti will need the assistance of the international community in order to retain order and secure vital points such as airports and ports. Yet, this assistance should take the form of financial assistance once a stable government has been formed and political reforms undertaken.