- Over 5,000 casualties reported since July 2023
- 60,000 displaced in single month amid territorial battles
- Transitional council deploying environmental agents as reinforcements
- Kenyan-led security mission operating at 40% capacity
- First elections in decade planned for February 2025
Haiti's capital erupted in chaos Thursday as police clashed with protesters demanding immediate action against armed groups controlling 80% of Port-au-Prince. The transitional government's emergency declaration follows six consecutive nights of neighborhood raids that destroyed 14 commercial districts and three medical facilities.
Analysts note the violence has created a $300 million economic vacuum, with gangs now taxing essential goods through port checkpoints. Unlike traditional criminal networks, these groups increasingly recruit children through social media - a tactic mirroring Central American gang playbooks seen in Honduras and El Salvador.
The council's controversial decision to deploy BSAP environmental officers raises questions about militarization. However, crisis management experts suggest this mirrors El Salvador's 2022 strategy of repurposing non-traditional security forces during mass arrests.
International observers remain skeptical as the UN-backed Kenyan contingent struggles with equipment shortages. Only 900 of 2,500 promised officers have deployed, leaving critical supply routes unsecured. Meanwhile, Dominican Republic border patrols report intercepting 47% more firearms since January - evidence supporting claims of transnational arms networks.
Jean's emotional reference to Haiti's revolutionary history underscores growing fears of institutional collapse. With 73% of schools closed indefinitely and cholera resurgent in displacement camps, the government faces dual security-humanitarian challenges unprecedented in Caribbean modern history.
