Haiti – On the Brink of Collapse: Gangs Rule, the State Retreats

The Republic of Haiti inches closer to total collapse with each passing day. Armed gangs now assert near-total control over the capital, while the Haitian state appears powerless—reduced to a mere bystander. The United Nations has described the situation as “alarming and unprecedented,” warning of a deepening humanitarian disaster affecting millions.

Recent assessments indicate that criminal groups now control nearly 90% of Port-au-Prince, including major roads, ports, national highways, and entire districts across the metropolitan area. Pétion-Ville—once considered a safe haven—is no longer exempt. Violence has spread unchecked, turning the capital into a war zone in all but name.

The consequences are devastating:

• Over 1.3 million internally displaced people, crowded into makeshift shelters with little access to basic services.
• Schools are shut down, hospitals unreachable, businesses paralyzed.
• Widespread human rights abuses, including killings, kidnappings, and sexual violence.

“This is no longer a crisis. It’s a silent war against the civilian population,” says a senior staff member of an international NGO operating in Tabarre.