Political Conflict and Instability Reign in Haiti Following Assassination of President Moïse
By Ethan Tsai
On July 7, Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated at his private residence in the city of Port-Au-Prince by a group of 28 mercenaries, creating chaos as different political factions splinter the Caribbean nation. Haiti has stayed out of the spotlight for many centuries following the globally significant national revolution that took place in 1791. However, with the assassination of President Moïse the country has once again drawn the gaze of the international eye.
Moïse’s attackers, whom consisted of at least 2 Americans and an estimated 20 Colombians, forced their way past a security guard and claimed to be DEA (United States Drug Enforcement Administration) officials. They then entered the house and shot President Moïse, injuring his wife, First Lady Martine Moïse, in the process. No other injuries or deaths occurred. The mercenaries also ransacked the house, and their motive for doing so is currently unknown. At this time, 20 of the identified mercenaries are in custody, and 3 more of the group are deceased, with 5 members currently not located by officials.
The 28 mercenaries have been found to have taken part in advanced training of some kind, similar to that of military commandos. They also did not harm any other people aside from the President and his wife, suggesting training and organization.
After the assassination of President Moïse, former acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph seized control of the nation’s government. This included establishing himself as the commander of the Haitian Army and the Haitian Police and ordering martial law to be enacted. Joseph wielded the most power in the Haitian government during this time. However, Joseph’s power claims were not undisputed: Ariel Henry, the man nominated to succeed President Moïse, protested his claims, reasoning that since he was set to take power the day after President Moïse was assassinated he had the right to the Presidency of Haiti.
In addition, former Head of Senate Joseph Lambert also attempted to take on a leadership position, and it was he who was present at a U.S. delegation sent to sort out the succession crisis. Although there is a current shortage of senators present in the Haitian Senate, the majority of those present called for legislation to remove Claude Joseph from the Presidency and replace him with Joseph Lambert while placing Ariel Henry into the Prime Minister position. The presidency is currently a disputed position.
Claude Joseph has formally requested assistance in the form of occupation forces from the United Nations and the United States. This has resulted in conflict within the international community regarding whether to answer the call or take a hands off approach to the political controversies in Haiti. The United States has expressed hesitancy, likely due to their recent withdrawal from Afghanistan and reluctance to get involved in another civil war. Meanwhile, the United Nations has not taken a side on sending troops into the conflict.
If either force takes action, a potential war in Haiti could become another proxy war between world powers or terrorist organizations, resulting in harm to the Haitian people and loss of life.
For the government of Haiti, this power struggle presents one of the biggest conflicts in the country’s history, and has resulted in political instability. Recent events could possibly lead to a suspension of Haitian political and economic prosperity, and could result in physical conflicts.
For Haitian civilians, criminal networks and potential clashes between supporters of opposing political factions present immediate danger. A damaging earthquake and cholera outbreak have also recently plagued the populace, leading to further danger and instability.
Depending on how the conflict is resolved, the fallout of Moïse’s assassination could either become a small footnote in history or turn into one of the biggest global conflicts of the 21st century.
Sources
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/08/world/americas/haiti-president-killed.html
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-57762246
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Jovenel_Mo%C3%AFse
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/08/1014105912/what-we-know-about-the-assassination-of-haitis-president
