July 12, 2025
On Tuesday, June 17, the political movement Lapè Pou Ayiti (“Peace for Haiti”) was officially launched in Pétion-Ville by its founding members, in direct response to what they describe as the catastrophic failure of Haiti’s ruling elites. Spokesperson Nelus Nérius denounced past leaders for “serving personal interests at the expense of the public good,” pointing to over 15 years of institutional collapse.
Nérius cited the fraudulent election of Michel Martelly and the destabilizing governments that followed—under Jocelerme Privert, Jovenel Moïse (until his assassination), Claude Joseph, and Ariel Henry—as having pushed the country into chaos. Today, he notes, “85% of the metropolitan area is under gang control,” resulting in the near-total paralysis of public infrastructure and civil liberties.
Franceline Léoné emphasized the exhaustion and fear gripping the Haitian population, describing a society “on the edge,” terrorized by runaway violence. She explained that Lapè Pou Ayiti aims to reopen national roadways, provide dignified support for displaced people, and implement what she called “rational security,” in contrast to the failure of the Presidential Transition Council (TPC).
Marie-Shella Martimé framed the movement as a civic duty born from “a calculated plot to destroy a people whose only desire is to live in peace.” The group plans to focus on rebuilding state institutions through national dialogue, promoting unity, reconciliation, and renewed trust in governance.
The movement is preparing a nationwide listening tour and emergency plan to restore road access and mobilize students and unions to propose grassroots solutions. Their stated goal: to rebuild the state and lead a participatory transition, free from partisan agendas.
The security situation remains dire: over 1.3 million people have been displaced in the last six months, and 85% of Port-au-Prince is reportedly controlled by armed gangs. Violent clashes led to 5,626 deaths in 2024 and nearly 1,600 more in the first half of 2025—grim evidence of the conflict’s scope.
Although the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), launched in 2024, was meant to stem the violence, it has so far proven ineffective against the gang coalition due to limited resources. Heavily armed and often better equipped than police forces, gangs continue to seize territory, impose illegal tolls, and block access to basic services.
In the face of this national breakdown, Lapè Pou Ayiti proposes a bold new vision for security and social peace, gathering forces “not complicit in the country’s destruction.” Its founders are extending an open call to all sectors of society to help restore hope, dignity, and sovereignty, breaking decisively with fifteen years of political dysfunction.
