December 5, 2025
The Prime Minister’s Office reacted firmly after the arson attack that destroyed the iconic Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince on the night of July 6–7, 2025. “A part of the soul of Port-au-Prince, of our national memory and Haitian heritage, has just been annihilated,” the government lamented in a statement released on July 8.
The hotel, known for its gingerbread architecture and central role in Haiti’s artistic life, was reduced to ashes during an attack attributed to the armed group Viv Ansanm. Active in the Pacot neighborhood, the gang reportedly took advantage of clashes in the area to target this historic site.
The government denounced the act as “barbaric,” aimed directly at the nation’s culture. “They are no longer just burning houses: they are now attacking our culture, our identity, what makes us a people,” the statement read.
In response to this escalation of violence, the State announced there will be “no more tolerance” and promised a comprehensive crackdown. “All available resources will continue to be mobilized to track down, dismantle, and root out these armed groups,” the Prime Minister’s Office declared.
The statement concluded with a call for national unity and resistance. “You have lit a fire that will awaken the conscience of a standing people,” the government warned the criminal groups.
