Fuel price protests paralyze traffic in part of Port-au-Prince

Burning barricades block major roads as transport workers and residents push back against steep fuel hikes in the Haitian capital
by Juhakenson Blaise Apr. 07, 2026
The Haitian Times
Overview:
Protests erupted in Port-au-Prince Monday after the government raised fuel prices by up to 38%, with burning barricades blocking key roads in Delmas and Pétion-Ville. The unrest underscores mounting frustration in a country already grappling with rampant insecurity, growing inflation and worsening humanitarian crisis.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Protests over rising fuel prices brought parts of Haiti’s capital to a standstill Monday, as burning tire barricades blocked major roads and disrupted public transportation across Delmas and Pétion-Ville.
From early morning, motorcycle taxi drivers, tap-tap operators and bus drivers erected roadblocks along key routes, including the Delmas corridor, forcing many commuters to walk long distances. In several areas, protesters stopped vehicles still operating and ordered passengers to disembark.
The unrest follows a government decision that took effect April 2, raising fuel prices sharply: gasoline to 725 gourdes (about $5.58) per gallon, diesel to 850 gourdes (about $6.54) and kerosene to 845 gourdes (about $6.50). The increases are roughly between 30% and 38%.
Transport workers say the hikes are unsustainable in a country where most households already struggle with soaring living costs and limited income.
“The increase in gasoline prices is too high for an already vulnerable population. This situation risks triggering a chain rise in the cost of living, directly affecting public transportation, goods, and services.”
Duclos Benissoit, coordinator of the Unified Movement of Haitian Transporters (MUTH)
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“The announced increase in gasoline prices is too high for an already vulnerable population,” said Duclos Benissoit, coordinator of the Unified Movement of Haitian Transporters (MUTH). “This risks triggering a chain reaction in the cost of living.”
Despite government-set fares, drivers have widely raised prices by up to 50% more to offset fuel costs. On the Delmas 33–Siloe route, for instance, fares set at 50 gourdes have climbed to 75 gourdes. Trips to Gérald Bataille now cost between 50 and 75 gourdes, up from an official 30 gourdes, while rides from Delmas to Pétion-Ville, about three miles, have risen from 75 to about 100 gourdes.