May 7, 2025
During the night of February 24 to 25, 2025, violent attacks shook several neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, including Tabarre 27, Debussy, Fort National, and Delmas 30. These assaults, attributed to heavily armed gangs, resulted in numerous civilian casualties and forced entire families to flee their homes. This latest wave of violence once again highlights the authorities’ inability to restore security.
In response, the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), which has been leading Haiti for nearly a year, strongly condemned these acts and declared that it would not tolerate any disturbances to public order. In a statement released on Wednesday, February 26, the TPC announced that it had instructed security forces to restore order and bring those responsible to justice. However, these declarations remain insufficient in the face of worsening insecurity under its leadership.
Since the TPC’s installation in April 2024, violence has only escalated, with over 5,600 people killed and more than a million displaced last year. Gangs continue to expand their control over the capital, while the understaffed and poorly equipped security forces struggle to regain lost ground. Less than two months away from its first anniversary, the TPC has yet to provide a lasting solution to the security crisis.
The Council has called on the international community to step up its support in restoring order, but this plea appears as an admission of failure. Despite its commitment to reestablishing state authority, its handling of the crisis raises serious doubts about its ability to govern effectively. Meanwhile, the population continues to suffer the consequences of a country left in the hands of armed groups.
