Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 17 mars 2025

Bahamasair flight attendant on the run after smuggling $100K seized at Cap-Haïtien airport, source says | BREAKING NEWS

Haitian police arrested two people in the suspected money laundering case, marking the fifth Cap-Haïtien airport crime-related arrest in a week.

by Onz Chéry Mar. 04, 2025

THE HAITIAN TIMES

Overview:

Agents from the Haitian police special unit Brigade for the Fight against Drug Trafficking (BLTS) seized more than $100,000 at Hugo Chavez Cap-Haitien International Airport from a Bahamasair flight arriving from Nassau on March 1. Two suspects were arrested, but the flight attendant who allegedly handed over the bag of money fled back to Nassau before authorities could detain her.

CAP-HAÏTIEN, Haiti — Agents from Haiti’s Brigade for the Fight against Drug Trafficking (BLTS) intercepted more than $100,000 at Hugo Chavez Cap-Haïtien International Airport from a Bahamasair flight on March 1, a source familiar with the case told The Haitian Times.

Police apprehended a Haitian man and woman, Lucken Clervilus and Erilène Bernadin, as suspects connected to the case. However, the flight attendant who allegedly handed Clervilus the bag of cash avoided arrest by quickly boarding the return flight to Nassau before investigators could detain her, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized by their employer to discuss the matter publicly.

Authorities have not disclosed the flight attendant’s identity, and her whereabouts remain unknown. The Haitian National Police (PNH) have yet to comment on the case, but Arold Jean, the spokesperson for the Northern Department, said he plans to hold a press conference and provide the details on March 5.

Bahamasair, an airline wholly owned by the Bahamian government, operates flights between Nassau and Cap-Haïtien. According to sources at Hugo Chavez International Airport, the cash seized by the PNH special agents originated from Nassau.

Bahamasair’s manager in Cap-Haïtien denied The Haitian Times’ request for an interview.

Ongoing security crackdown at Cap-Haïtien airport

Police have recently intensified security at Cap-Haïtien’s airport following reports of fake visas, counterfeit tickets and other fraudulent activities. The latest arrests bring the total number of detentions at the airport to at least five in the past week.

On Feb. 23, authorities arrested Cald Philippe, an immigration agent accused of making a woman pay for a ticket to Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, with a fake visa. That same day, police also detained an unidentified suspect for allegedly taking a photo of an immigration officer on duty and sending it to gang members.

On Feb. 22, police arrested Kenelson Viléus for allegedly selling counterfeit plane tickets. Viléus denied the accusations, according to local journalist Gérard Maxineau.

Authorities continue to investigate the money laundering case and broader security concerns at the Cap-Haïtien airport, which has been the only facility operating for commercial flights to and from the United States since Nov. 12, 2024. 

Haiti’s largest international airport, Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, has been banned by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after gangs opened fire on three U.S.-based carriers, including Spirit Airlines, American Airlines and JetBlue Airways. 

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available.

1959: The Year That Inflamed the Caribbean

Diederich, Bernard

Certain years are pivotal in global history, and one such year was 1959, from which this book takes its title. 1959 was indeed a historic year during which, among other historic events, Fidel Castro’s guerrilla war in Cuba toppled dictator Fulgencio Batista.

This intriguing book, drawn from the pages of the author’s English-language weekly newspaper, the Haiti Sun, and from his notebooks, provides a journalist’s firsthand look at Papa Doc’s reaction—at first easing, then tightening even more brutally his tyrannical rule. Diederich then traces the ensuing impacts on Haiti’s relations with the U.S., other Caribbean nations, the rest of the Western Hemisphere, and the international community.

1959 is a historically compelling book that traces a pivotal year that began with Fidel Castro’s victory in Cuba, which triggered reverberations that changed the Caribbean.

Bernard Diederich covered Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean as a correspondent for Time magazine. Diederich was also an eyewitness to the end of the guerrilla war and the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. He secured the first interviews with Comandante Camilo Cienfuegoes and with Raul Castro after Cuban revolutionaries entered Havana, and he attended Fidel Castro’s first press conference. He is the author of Trujillo: The Death of a Dictator, Papa Doc and the Tonton Macoutes, and several other books featured by Markus Wiener.

Click here to buy the book with a 20% discount

Subject: Caribbean, Caribbean Surveys, Cuba, Dominican Republic/Haiti, Latin America

This message was sent to melodiefm@gmail.com from publisher@markuswiener.com

Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542

State Dept. Plans to Close Diplomatic Missions and Fire Employees Overseas

American officials, including in the C.I.A., are concerned about mass closures hampering national security work. And China has overtaken the United States in global diplomatic footprint.

March 6, 2025Updated 5:48 p.m. ET

THE HAITIAN TIMES

The reductions at the State Department are part of both President Trump’s larger slashing of the federal government and his “America First” foreign policy.

Senior State Department officials have drawn up plans to close a dozen consulates overseas by this summer and are considering shutting down many more missions, in what could be a blow to the U.S. government’s efforts to build partnerships and gather intelligence, American officials say.

The department also plans to lay off many local citizens who work for its hundreds of missions. Those workers make up two-thirds of the agency’s work force, and in many countries they form the foundation of U.S. diplomats’ knowledge of their environments.

The shrinking is part of both President Trump’s larger slashing of the federal government and his “America First” foreign policy, in which the United States ends or curtails once-important ways of exercising global influence, including through democracy, human rights and aid work.

The moves come at a time when China, the main rival of America, has overtaken the United States in number of global diplomatic posts. China has forged strong ties across nations, especially in Asia and Africa, and exerts greater power in international organizations.

Any broad shutdowns of missions, especially entire embassies, would hinder the work of large parts of the federal government and potentially compromise U.S. national security.

Embassies house officers from the military, intelligence, law enforcement, health, commerce, trade, treasury and other agencies, all of whom monitor developments in the host nation and work with local officials to counter everything from terrorism to infectious disease to collapsing currencies.

Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 6 mars 2025

Law Enforcement Attacks Haiti Gangs With Bomber Drones

Haitian police have started a big operation in a poor neighborhood controlled by gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, also known as “Barbecue.”

Officials say several gang members have been killed in Lower Delmas, an area in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Local reports say military drones with explosives are being used in the operation.

This is the first time that law enforcement in Haiti has used attack-drones and marks a new development.

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé supported the attack. He said a special task force was created just two days ago to fight gang violence.

The heavy equipment team of the Haitian National Police (PNH) was also mobilized to clear the streets of barriers, allowing the population to move around and resume their activities.

For the first time, the Haitian National Police  used drones capable of dropping explosives on identified targets, a strategy that would have made it possible to neutralize several members of the gang. Asked about this new strategy, the PNH spokesperson said that in this fight against terrorists “everything is allowed”.

According to several sources, a vehicle transporting “Barbecue” was the target of an explosive drone attack. Rumors are circulating in Haiti that Barbecue was injured, but no official source has confirmed this information…

Chérizier, 47, leads Viv Ansam (“Live Together”), a group of gangs that control much of the city.

It is unclear if Kenyan police officers, who arrived in Haiti last year to help fight gangs, are taking part in this operation. Last week, a Kenyan officer was killed while patrolling with the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission.

Gang violence in Port-au-Prince has caused serious problems, including the collapse of law and order, failing health services, and food shortages.

In 2024, more than 5,500 people died due to gang violence, and over a million people had to leave their homes.

Haiti’s transitional presidential council was set up to restore democracy, but it has made little progress in organizing elections.

Source: BBC, iciHaiti.com

Haitian fans blame soccer federation for U-20 women’s early World Cup elimination

The federation hired a coach just two days before the qualifiers began and failed to book a flight for Lourdjina Etienne, the team’s star, from rejoining her teammates in France.

by Onz Chéry Feb. 26, 2025

THE HAITIAN TIMES

Overview:

Haiti’s under-20 women’s team was eliminated from the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers following a surprising 1-0 defeat to Guyana, a weaker opponent on paper. Fans claimed the team underperformed because the federation hired a new coach just two days before the qualifiers began. Fans say the new coach didn’t have time to prepare the team.

Fans saw this coming. They had no hope that Haiti’s under-20 women’s team would qualify for the World Cup. Les Grenadières did win their first two matches by at least two goals, but the team looked extremely disorganized and weak offensively. They took advantage of two weak teams, Antigua and Barbuda, beating them 3-1 and Belize, which they defeated 4-0.

After these two games, the fans conceded that Haiti would not be able to compete against stronger opponents if it made it to the next round of the qualifiers. But Haiti could not even beat an average Guyana side to advance to the final round. They were outplayed, outsmarted, outmuscled and outcoached.

Haiti’s under-20 women’s soccer team failed to advance past the first round of the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers, falling 1-0 to Guyana in a shocking defeat. The loss, which many fans saw coming, has renewed criticism of the Haitian Football Federation (FHF). Fans argue that poor planning, including hiring a coach just two days before the tournament and failing to secure the team’s star player’s travel, ultimately doomed Haiti’s chances. Many are now questioning the federation’s leadership, pointing to a pattern of mismanagement that has hindered Haiti’s national teams in major tournaments.

Les Petites Grenadières sat in disbelief at the touchline, anguish written across their faces. Fans mirrored those sentiments but are also angry at the Haitian Football Federation (FHF) because they feel like the players were unprepared. Plus, the team’s star player, Lourdjina Etienne, could not make the trip from Europe due to yet another administrative issue with the federation. 

Danielle Legros Georges, esteemed poet and educator, remembered for her literary legacy

The former Boston Poet Laureate and award-winning writer leaves behind a legacy of poetry, scholarship, and advocacy for Haitian culture

by Guest Author Feb. 27, 2025

THE HAITIAN TIMES

Overview:

Danielle Legros Georges, an acclaimed poet, translator, and educator, passed away on Feb. 11, 2025, at her home in Dorchester, Massachusetts. A former Boston Poet Laureate and professor emerita at Lesley University, she was widely recognized for her literary contributions, including numerous poetry collections and translations. She was 60.

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Danielle Legros Georges, a celebrated poet, translator, and educator, passed away peacefully on Feb. 11, 2025, at her home in Dorchester, Massachusetts. She was surrounded by her loved ones, including her partner, Tom Laughlin, and her brothers, Gérard, Bernard, and Stephan. She was 60.

A funeral service was held on Feb. 22 at Boston’s Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, followed by a graveside service at Forest Hills Cemetery.

Legros Georges was a prolific writer and champion of Haitian culture, known for her deeply evocative poetry that explored themes of identity, migration, and history. She was the author of several poetry collections, including Three Leaves, Three Roots: Poems on the Haiti–Congo Story (2025), The Dear Remote Nearness of You (2016), which won the New England Poetry Club’s Sheila Margaret Motton Book Prize, and Maroon (2001).

Born on Feb. 14, 1964, in Gonaïves, Haiti, to Rodney Georges, an engineer, and Edmonde Legros Georges, a secondary school teacher, she spent part of her childhood in the Democratic Republic of Congo before her family settled in Boston’s Mattapan neighborhood. She attended St. Angela’s School and St. Claire’s High School, where she excelled in academics and track and field. A passionate dancer, she studied Afro-Haitian dance at the Elma Lewis School of Fine Arts.

Legros Georges earned an undergraduate degree from Emerson College and later obtained a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Poetry from New York University. She was an active member of the Dark Room Collective, a group of Black artists and writers based in the Boston-Cambridge area. In 2016, Emerson College awarded her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.

Throughout her career, Legros Georges was dedicated to education. She was a professor and director of the MFA in Creative Writing program at Lesley University before retiring as professor emerita in 2023. Her passion for literature and advocacy for Haitian voices extended beyond academia.

In 2015, she was appointed as the City of Boston’s second Poet Laureate, serving in the role until 2019. She was also inducted into the American Antiquarian Society in 2024 and named a Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by France’s Ministry of Culture.

Beyond her own poetry, she worked extensively as a translator and editor. She co-edited Wheatley at 250: Black Women Poets Re-imagine the Verse of Phillis Wheatley Peters (2023) and edited City of Notions: An Anthology of Contemporary Boston Poems (2017). Her translations included Blue Flare: Three Haitian Poets (2024) and Island Heart: The Poems of Ida Faubert (2021).

Legros Georges received numerous honors and fellowships from organizations such as the American Antiquarian Society, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Boston Foundation, and the PEN/Heim Translation Fund.

Two Haitian soldiers, dozen residents killed as gangs seize Delmas 30

Armed gangs overrun Delmas 30, burning homes and forcing families to flee in yet another deadly assault on Haiti’s capital

by Juhakenson Blaise and  The Haitian Times Feb. 26, 2025

Two soldiers from the Haitian Armed Forces (FADH) were killed in the Feb. 25 gang attack on Delmas 30 according to a preliminary, unofficial toll. The two soldiers were brothers. They were off duty at the time.

Overview:

Two Haitian Armed Forces (FADH) soldiers and about a dozen residents were killed as gangs stormed Delmas 30, torching homes and displacing families. The assault, part of Haiti’s spiraling violence, has left thousands seeking refuge in an already overwhelmed city.

Editor’s Note: This is a developing story. The Haitian Times will provide updates as more information becomes available. Last updated Wednesday, Feb.26 at 8:00 a.m. EST. 

PORT-AU-PRINCE —Two soldiers from the Haitian Armed Forces (FADH) and about a dozen residents were killed in the Feb. 25 gang attack on Delmas 30, according to a preliminary unofficial toll count. The assault, which began at dawn, left the neighborhood in flames and forced hundreds to flee.

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The two soldiers, who were brothers, were off duty and not part of the contingent exchanging gunfire with gang members. This brings the number of Haitian soldiers killed in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area to three in February.  

“Can you imagine two FADH soldiers are dead, and bandits filming them? This situation breaks my heart, I feel outraged,” said singer Lubin ‘Jah B’ Enock on Xafter witnessing this murder.

Two students were released early from schools in Delmas after armed gangs stormed the area in the early hours of Feb. 25, 2025. Photo by Arnold Junior Pierre/The Haitian Times

On Tuesday afternoon, displaced residents sought shelter wherever they could. Some sought refuge at La Paix Hospital in nearby Delmas 33, while others took shelter at the Ministry of Social Affairs office, also in Delmas 33. Still, many remained stranded, with nowhere to go in a city where gangs took over many neighborhoods. 

Armed gangs stormed the area around 5 a.m., setting homes ablaze and gunning down those in their path. Some victims were shot dead, while others were burned alive as fires spread through the neighborhood. Families ran for their lives, dragging children through the smoke-filled streets as bullets tore through the air and the walls of their homes. 

“What happened in Delmas 30 was a massacre. The gangs killed more than twenty people and burned their bodies. Some victims are unrecognizable,” a member of the neighborhood vigilante brigade said on local media.

Some collapsed in grief after witnessing loved ones fall. Others, clutching the few belongings they could carry, ran with no clear destination, desperate to escape the unfolding bloodshed.

Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 18 février 2025

Springfield, Ohio, sues neo-Nazis over hate campaign against Haitians

Angie Orellana Hernandez

The city of Springfield, Ohio, local officials and residents are suing a neo-Nazi group for allegedly leading an intimidation campaign against people who defended the area’s Haitian community from racist attacks last year, according to court documents reviewed by The Washington Post.

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, accuses the white-supremacist organization Blood Tribe, its leaders Christopher Pohlhaus and Drake Berentz, and seven unnamed men of conspiring to interfere with the civil rights of Springfield Mayor Rob Rue, Assistant Mayor David Estrop, two city commissioners and four residents.

The group is seeking a judicial order to prevent Blood Tribe and its members from making further threats, as well as punitive damages. Assisted by the Anti-Defamation League and attorneys with experience in litigating against white supremacists, the plaintiffs requested a jury trial.

Springfield, a city of roughly 60,000 people, rose to national attention in the final months of the 2024 presidential campaign as Donald Trump and JD Vanceamplified dehumanizing conspiracy theories about Haitian immigrants. The Republican leaders alleged without evidence that Haitian people ate neighbors’ pets. The lawsuit does not mention Trump or Vance by name.

The complaint does allege that Blood Tribe called on its supporters to launch a “hit” on Springfield in July, writing in messaging apps that the Haitian immigrants were putting a “significant strain on the good White residents of the city,” according to screenshots included in court documents.

A few weeks later, on Aug. 10, Blood Tribe appeared at Springfield’s Jazz & Blues festival. At least a dozen masked men in red-and-black uniforms waved swastika flags, yelled racial slurs and pointed guns at families, according to the lawsuit.

“Blood Tribe members then bragged on social media about the chaos they had caused, warning that the ‘invasion’ of Springfield by Haitian immigrants was a ‘crime’ that would not ‘go unanswered’ and promising ‘we will definitely be back,’” the lawsuit said.

In the aftermath, residents gathered to speak in defense of Haitian immigrants at city commission meetings. That angered Blood Tribe, which labeled them “enemy combatants” and “traitors,” according to the lawsuit. The complaint accuses Blood Tribe of targeting some of these residents and city officials by issuing at least 33 bomb threats, sending hate mail, posting personal information, and creating fake dating profiles soliciting men to show up at victims’ homes seeking drugs and sex.

Blood Tribe did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Post was unable to reach Pohlhaus or Berentz.

Blood Tribe posted a message allegedly from Pohlhaus on the social platform Gab calling the lawsuit’s allegations “laughable and impossible to prove.” The statement also denied the claim that Blood Tribe members pointed firearms at families, saying that the organization would have taken those men “out back and beat them” before removing them as members. The Post has not confirmed the author is Pohlhaus.

In another post on Gab, Blood Tribe blamed Springfield officials for using the group as “an easy scapegoat for their own weakness” and used antisemitic language to refer to the ADL. Blood Tribe said it was “not the cause or source” of Springfield’s problems.

Blood Tribe’s persistent bomb threats targeted hospitals, schools and businesses for several weeks, according to the lawsuit. On Sept. 12, two days after Trump said during a presidential debate that immigrants were eating pets, Springfield evacuated City Hall after it received a bomb threat naming city commissioners Tracey Tackett and Krystal Brown and others, stating, “I will kill you. I know where you live.”

“And even though the bomb threats proved to be false alarms, they were frightening and disruptive and required the City of Springfield to expend extensive resources to assure the safety of the City and its residents,” the lawsuit said.

The threats also included the home addresses of Rue and Estrop, who were left messages that they would “die a traitor’s death,” according to the lawsuit.

Berentz and about a dozen members stood outside Rue’s house on Sept. 28, according to the lawsuit. Inside, Rue had a shotgun loaded and positioned by his front door “in case he needed to protect his family,” the complaint said. On another unspecified date, according to court documents, Blood Tribe returned to Rue’s house with a Haitian man and claimed he “needs a place to stay.”

Residents Taylor Flora, Jessica Shafer, Casey Rollins and Randall Comer were also subjected to death threats and harassment for supporting Haitian immigrants, the lawsuit said. On one occasion, Flora allegedly received a package designed to look like a bomb, with a taunting note that read, “XOXO, Blood Tribe.”

Before the alleged coordinated attacks, Blood Tribe wrote in messages that it had been monitoring Springfield since 2023, when 11-year-old Aiden Clark died in a car crash caused by Hermanio Joseph, a 36-year-old from Haiti. Aiden’s father, Nathan Clark, has since publicly denounced hate and political gain in his son’s name.

The lawsuit alleges Pohlhaus “gleefully took credit” when xenophobic conspiracy theories about the town’s Haitian community reached a national level last year. Pohlhaus wrote on social media that Blood Tribe had “pushed Springfield into the public consciousness,” according to court documents.

“Other Blood Tribe members agreed,” the lawsuit said, “adding that ‘this is what real power looks like.’”

Former Haitian official Badio denies role in Jovenel Moïse assassination, calls police report flawed

Joseph Félix Badio, a key suspect in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, claims the investigation overlooks crucial names …

by Juhakenson Blaise Feb. 12, 2025

THE HAITIAN TIMES

Joseph Félix Badio, a key suspect in the case of the assassination of the former President Jovenel Moïse

Overview:

The investigation into President Jovenel Moïse’s assassination resurfaced this week with a court hearing for key suspect Joseph Félix Badio, who denied involvement and accused police of omitting crucial names.

PORT-AU-PRINCE — During a Court of Appeal hearing on Monday, Feb. 10, Joseph Félix Badio, a key suspect in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, denied any involvement and called the investigation incomplete. He argued that the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) report left out crucial names and lacked scientific rigor. Despite his claims, no new credible evidence has emerged to help the court answer the central question: Who orchestrated this crime?

Standing before judges, prosecutors and a packed courtroom—including 17 Colombian mercenaries also implicated in the crime—Badio, who once worked for Haiti’s Ministry of Justice, insisted he was aware of a coup plot against Moïse but had no role in the murder.

“I had no involvement in the president’s assassination,” Badio said. “Everything said is nonsense, except one fact: the president was assassinated.”

The assassination remains one of Haiti’s most complex criminal cases in recent years, involving multiple countries, notably the United States and Colombia. Despite nearly 50 indictments, no trial has taken place in Haiti, even after more than 40 arrests. Meanwhile, in the U.S., at least five individuals linked to the case have been convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

Badio’s hearing comes as the Haitian judiciary faces growing criticism over its handling of the case, with concerns that influential figures remain shielded from scrutiny and accountability.

The hearing marked nearly four years since Moïse was killed at his residence in Pèlerin, Pétion-Ville, on July 7, 2021, in an operation involving Colombian mercenaries and Haitian Americans. The investigation in Haiti remains clouded by political turmoil, worsening gang violence and the fall of two prime ministers, Claude Joseph and Ariel Henry.

Badio questions missing names and security failures

Badio, who was arrested in October 2023 after two years on the run, claimed the DCPJ investigation overlooked critical security lapses. He pointed to the sudden replacement of Pétion-Ville’s police commissioner just two days before the assassination, suggesting it was a deliberate move that warranted further scrutiny.

“Many close to the president should have been questioned,” Badio said. “Why weren’t the agents responsible for his security affected?”

“Certain individuals are being protected to maintain their interests,” Badio claimed. Despite his claims, he provided no new evidence and refused to name who he believed orchestrated the assassination.

The former Haiti Ministry of Justice employee also pointed out that two armored vehicles stationed on Pèlerin Road—where Moïse lived—disappeared the night of the murder. The officers in those vehicles were not named in the DCPJ report, raising suspicions of internal involvement.

Additionally, the indicted Badio acknowledged speaking with ex-Senator John Joël Joseph—another plotter in the case sentenced to life in the U.S. federal prison—who allegedly told him the plan was to remove Moïse from power, not kill him. The plan was to replace Moïse with Christian Emmanuel Sanon, he said.

“The goal was a coup, not an assassination,” Badio said, claiming Moïse himself was aware of the plot.

Badio claimed that documents recovered by the FBI from Moïse’s residence confirmed the president was aware of discussions about a potential coup. He alleged that Senator Jean Hector Anacasis was the one who informed him.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
February 11, 2025
UNODC equips Haiti against organized crime
By UNODC
Haiti is anything but a Caribbean paradise, as violence continues to spiral out of control.

Criminal gangs spread terror across the country with an estimated 150 to 200 armed groups controlling about 85 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

In their attempts to expand their territories and seize strategic locations, these groups have targeted critical infrastructure, including hospitals, schools, police stations and other key facilities.

The population remains trapped in fear, facing frequent shootings, kidnappings and mass looting.

Ongoing violence and instability are further exacerbated by the flow of illicit arms, drug trafficking, and underground markets, all fueled by deep-rooted corruption and money laundering.

Strengthening law enforcement and border security

The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), with the generous support of the Government of Canada, is supporting the Haitian authorities in countering organized crime, including human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

To bolster law enforcement efforts, UNODC has delivered twelve patrol vehicles and nineteen motorcycles to the country’s Border Police, a specialized unit of the Haitian National Police (POLIFRONT - Police Frontalière d’Haiti). 

The newly supplied vehicles aim to enhance police mobility on the ground, response time and overall efficiency to help law enforcement regain control of critical areas and strengthen border security. They will also provide much-needed protection in hostile environments as officers serve and protect the Haitian people while carrying out their duties.

The delivery is part of a larger response led by the UNODC Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Section and the Regional Office for Central America and the Caribbean.

At the request of Canada, additional equipment, including communication radios, personal protective equipment, drones, ballistic vests, shin guards, armored vehicles and computer equipment such as laptops and printers will be provided to further support Haitian security forces as they work to regain control of critical areas and strengthen border security by land, sea, and air. It also contributes to the ongoing fight against corruption and economic crimes.

The delivery of much needed vehicles takes place amidst a complex reality for those providing support in Haiti. Since November 2024 the international airport of Port-au-Prince has been closed and gangs continue to control the national road network limiting the efforts of international and national partners in country.

A worrying rise in human trafficking and migrant smuggling

Beyond attacks on civilians and infrastructure, as well as drug and arms trade, other crimes are currently on the rise. Of particular concern is the surge in human and child trafficking.

Exploiting widespread lawlessness, child malnutrition, inadequate education and lack of parental supervision, gangs recruit minors through deception or coercion.

They often use social media to lure children, reportedly offering payments of up to 200 USD.

According to the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), child recruitment into armed groups increased by 70 per cent, with an estimated 30 to 50 per cent of gang members in Haiti now being children.

At the same time, political instability, gang violence, food insecurity and economic turmoil are forcing more people to flee Haiti.

Desperate to escape, many are taking greater risks, often turning to migrant smugglers. Haitian nationals are increasingly being smuggled via dangerous sea routes.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UNODC remains committed to working with Haitian authorities and partners to dismantle the criminal networks and corruption destabilizing the country. The recently delivered patrol vehicles and forthcoming equipment will play a crucial role in strengthening their operational capacity to combat organized crime and protect Haiti’s borders. 

*The programme is funded with the generous support of the Government of Canda through its Anti-Crime Capacity Building Programme (ACCBP).

Détails

Catégorie : What's up Little Haiti

Création : 24 janvier 2025

Rubio calls for help from foreign partners to stabilize Haiti — not the U.S.

J. Scott Applewhite

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.

Florida U.S. Senator Marco Rubio says sending U.S. troops to Haiti is not the key to stabilizing the chaotic situation in the Caribbean country.

The 53-year-old Republican is President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for U.S. Secretary of State. During a confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Rubio told his fellow U.S. Senators that there is no easy answer in Haiti, where violence by armed gangs continues unabated.

"You've got to establish some baseline security, and it's not gonna come from a U.S. military intervention. So to the extent that we can encourage foreign partners — and I would include foreign partners in the Western hemisphere who should be contributing to this effort — to provide some level of stability and security in Haiti, so that you can explore the opportunities to have a transitional government that has legitimacy."

Kenya is currently leading a multi-national mission to help Haiti.

The United Nations Human Rights Office reports that gang violence left about 5,600 people dead in Haiti last year alone and has driven at least one million people from their homes.

This is a News In Brief report. Visit WLRN News for in-depth reporting from South Florida and Florida news.

6 key takeaways from Haiti’s economic decline since 2018

An analysis of six years of economic downturn and the proposed solutions from Minister Alfred Fils Métellus

by Stevenson Pierre Joseph Jan. 17, 2025

THE HAITIAN TIMES

Overview:

This story examines Haiti's prolonged economic crisis since 2018, analyzing the factors behind the six-year decline and key proposals by Minister of Economy and Finance Alfred Fils Métellus. It highlights alarming statistics, financial challenges and the transitional government’s plans for recovery as presented on Tele Métropole’s Kesner Pharel “Grand Rendez-vous Économique” show.

CAP-HAITIEN — A joint report published recently by the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics (IHSI) and the Bank of the Republic of Haiti (BRH) has presented a bleak picture of Haiti’s economy. It has remained stagnant for six years, with no recorded growth since 2018. The middle class, which is meant to be the backbone of the economy, comprises only 8% of the country’s nearly 12 million people, the report indicates. 

Haiti’s last economic expansion was a modest 1.7% in 2018, but since then, the economy has contracted by 4.2% due to several factors, including political instability, social unrest, and the COVID-19 pandemic. As poverty deepens—more than 60% of Haitians live on less than $1 a day—and insecurity stifles investment, the government has unveiled an ambitious 324 billion gourdes or about $2.5 billion budget for 2024 aimed at addressing these challenges. However, experts warn that recovery will require bold reforms and significant international support.

Minister of Economy and Finance Alfred Fils Métellus, who intervened on Télé Métropole’s Kesner Pharel Grand Rendez-Vous Économique show on Jan. 1, outlined the causes and consequences while proposing solutions to reverse the trend.

The following are six takeaways from the report, along with action plans proposed by the transitional government:

Poverty levels continue to rise

More than 60% of Haitians live on less than $1 a day, while over 30% are in extreme poverty. Minister Alfred Fils Métellus stressed the critical role of the middle class – a group that makes up only 8% of the population – in stabilizing the economy. He noted that building a stronger middle class will be essential for Haiti’s long-term recovery.

Agricultural sector in decline

The agricultural sector, which once served as the pillar of the Haitian economy, is now contracting at an annual rate of 5%. This has exacerbated food insecurity across the country, leaving millions vulnerable. Minister Métellus emphasized the urgent need for targeted investment in agriculture to reverse this trend.

Insecurity and its economic toll

Insecurity is one of the most significant barriers to economic recovery. Minister Métellus revealed that repairing the damage caused by insecurity will require $1.3 billion, a figure to be included in the national budget. The lack of securityhas stifled investment, disrupted businesses, and displaced communities, further deepening Haiti’s economic challenges.

Budget priorities for recovery

Haiti’s 2024 budget of 324 billion gourdes, or about $2.5 billion, prioritizes three critical areas:

• Restoring security to ensure stability.
• Organizing credible elections by February 2026.
• Addressing the humanitarian crisis by subsidizing small businesses (SMEs) and creating jobs.

Decentralization

Métellus also plans to decentralize spending to reduce the dominance of the West Department, which absorbs 60-70% of national resources.

The role of international donors and the private sector

To finance recovery efforts, Haiti will depend heavily on international donors and the private sector. A chart presented during Métellus’ interview with Kesner Pharel revealed a $900 million funding gap that the government hopes to close through international aid. Métellus emphasized the importance of mobilizing these funds while pursuing reforms to rebuild confidence in Haiti’s economy.

For many observers, the transitional government plan looks ambitious. However, with a shrinking middle class, rising poverty, and a reliance on international donors, the path to recovery remains fraught with challenges.

Friends and family mourn journalist killed in Haiti Christmas Eve gang attack at hospital

With another journalist Mackendy Nathoux’s funeral set for Jan. 18, the Dec. 24 attack leaves seven journalists injured—some now desperate for urgent medical treatment abroad

by Juhakenson Blaise Jan. 17, 2025

THE HAITIAN TIMES

Overview:

Jimmy Jean, one of the journalists killed in a gang attack during the attempted reopening of the State University Hospital of Haiti (HUEH) on December 24, was buried on Thursday, while the funeral of Mackendy Nathoux is scheduled for Jan. 18. This tragedy has plunged the victims' families into unimaginable grief for which they were unprepared. Furthermore, this incident left several journalists injured, two of whom risk paralysis and permanent disabilities if they do not leave the country for specialized medical surgeries.

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Friends, family, and colleagues gathered Thursday at Saint-Pierre Church in Pétion-Ville to bid a final farewell to journalist Jimmy Jean, one of two reporters killed during a gang attack on the General Hospital on December 24. 

“Jimmy, you didn’t even tell me what to do with your son. This is the gift you left us,” Jean’s widow sobbed as she clutched two of their children during the service.

Jean’s mother, overcome with grief, recalled the agony of waiting for news after hearing of the attack. “We kept calling him, but there was no answer. The weight of this loss is unbearable,” she said.

Jean’s family mourned the loss of a father of six, a husband, and a son. Jean, invited to cover the reopening of the main capital hospital, Haiti State University Hospital, HUEH, was fatally shot during the attack. His sudden loss has left his loved ones grief-stricken, with his colleagues and family demanding justice from the Haitian government. 

The funeral for Mackendy Nathoux, the second journalist who lost his life that day, is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18.

The attack, which also claimed the life of a police officer, marked a grim day for journalism in the country and underscored the dangers faced daily by reporters covering stories amid escalating gang violence.

Journalists injured in Dec. 24 attack face dire medical needs

The seven journalists injured during the attack are grappling with life-altering injuries and limited medical resources in Haiti. Among them, Florise Desronvil, a mother of a 13-year-old, is confined to her home with two bullets lodged in her body.

“I was shot in the back and near my waist. The bullet lodged close to my pelvis,” Desronvil said in an interview with The Haïtian Times via WhatsApp on Jan.10. “Doctors here told me surgery could paralyze me, so I need to go abroad for proper treatment.”

Desronvil’s injuries have left her unable to care for her child or her ailing mother. “I can’t even bend to use a container for basic needs,” she added, appealing for help. “I can no longer walk properly.”

Desronvil depends on her brother, grandson, friends, and neighbors to help meet her daily needs. Her life was irreversibly altered in a matter of seconds during the gang attack, leaving her family overwhelmed with grief.

“This news shocked us—it was God who saved my sister,” her brother told The Haitian Times, recounting how his wife broke the news to him.

“I still can’t sleep or feel at ease after hearing what happened,” added Dufred Deronvil, the eldest sibling, echoing his younger sister’s pleas for assistance.

Another injured journalist, Jocelyn Chandel, remains in the hospital, where he awaits a second surgery after bullets struck his hand and mouth. Chandel’s situation worsened when gangs burned his home and motorcycle in Nazon.

Medical staff have threatened to discharge Chandel due to the lack of resources for a second surgery on his mouth, leaving him in dire need of care.

“The doctor said I need another surgery within three months, or I could lose my chin and teeth,” Chandel said. “I can only eat liquids, and I can’t control my saliva. I need help to get to Cuba for specialized care.”

Despite the government’s promises to assist victims and their families, the journalists say little has materialized. A commission to assist the injured victims and their families was established to cover funeral costs, medical expenses, and psychological support. While funeral costs, and some medical expenses were covered, concrete action remains elusive.

The attack highlights continuous impunity and  risks to Press Freedom in Haiti

The Dec. 24 attack unfolded as journalists covered the reopening of the General Hospital, a high-profile event organized by then-Health Minister Duckenson Lorthé Blema. Gunfire erupted when gangs targeted a police patrol near the hospital, shooting journalists standing at the facility entrance, trapping others, staff and attendees. Survivors were eventually rescued by agents from the General Security Unit of the National Palace (USGPN), who scaled walls to escort them to safety The hospital has been closed since February 2024.

“The doctor said I need another surgery within three months, or I could lose my chin and teeth.”

Jocelyn Chandel, one of the injured journalistsnormal

“It’s a terrible moment I will never forget,” said Chandel, speaking to The Haitian Times via WhatsApp. “I was standing in front of the facility when I was hit with two bullets, one in my right hand and the other in my lower mouth.”

The incident has fueled criticism of Blema for holding the event without adequate police coordination and led to his dismissal. It also underscores Haiti’s worsening impunity for crimes against journalists and spotlighted Haiti’s precarious press freedom, with the nation topping the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) Global Impunity Index since 2023.

Since 2019, at least seven journalists have been killed in Haiti, with most cases unresolved. CPJ cites a weakened judiciary, rampant gang violence, and political instability as barriers to justice. The organization’s 2024 Global Impunity Indexhighlights these unresolved murders, including that of Garry Tesse, whose mutilated remains were found six days after his disappearance in October 2022.

“This year, Haiti climbed to the top of the impunity index, reflecting the unresolved murders of its journalists,” CPJ noted in its latest report.

As the Haitian press mourns Jean and Nathoux, the call for accountability grows louder. For injured journalists, the fight is also for survival—physically and financially—in a nation where press freedom is under siege.

Jacques Desrosiers, Secretary General of the Haitian Journalists Association (AJH), has documented around 40 journalist killings from 1823 to 2023. In 2022 alone, about seven journalists lost their lives.

“Some are victims of armed gang wars; others are killed during protests or left dead in the streets,” said Desrosiers, adding that journalists’ associations continue to demand the identification and prosecution of those responsible.

Immigrant rights group in Miami pushes White House to extend immigration benefits to Haitians

A leading advocacy group for immigrants in Miami wants President Biden to extend special immigration benefits to more than 200,000 Haitians nationwide before he leaves office on Monday.

The Family Action Network Movement, or FANM, is holding a press conference on Wednesday morning at their office in Miami to urge the administration to extend Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to Haitian immigrants.

Last June, the Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the extension and redesignation of Haiti for TPS for 18 months, from Aug. 4, 2024, through Feb. 3, 2026. 

FANM leaders want the administration to extend TPS until at least Dec. 31, 2028. Florida is home to the country’s highest number of TPS holders — about 300,000. South Florida is home to the nation's largest number of Haitian immigrants.

It’s unclear if the administration would announce another extension before Biden leaves office on Monday.

Last Friday, the administration announced that about 600,000 Venezuelans and more than 230,000 Salvadorans with TPS can legally remain another 18 months. It also announced extending TPS for more than 103,000 Ukrainians and 1,900 Sudanese already in the country.

READ MORE: Biden extends time in US for 800,000 Venezuelans, Salvadorans as Trump readies immigration crackdown

The administration announcement came only a week before President-elect Donald Trump takes office with promises of hardline immigration policies. He has pledged to deport millions of people living in the U.S. illegally. 

Congress created TPS in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife, giving people authorization to work in increments of up to 18 months at a time.

About 1 million immigrants from 17 countries are protected by TPS, including people from Venezuela, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine and Lebanon. Haitians are among the largest number of beneficiaries.

TPS, however, faces an uncertain future under Trump, who tried to sharply curtail its use during his first term as president. Federal regulations would allow the extensions to be terminated early, although that's never been done before.

FANM leaders are also expressing concerns over Monday’s decision by Gov. Ron DeSantis to hold a special legislative session in Tallahassee to implement Trump’s deportation plans.

“DeSantis’ support for these [deportation] measures pose a grave threat to Haitians and other immigrant communities, particularly as Haiti faces severe crises,” said the FANM in a statement. “Implementing these deportations would also have devastating economic consequences for the United States.”

DeSantis issued a proclamation Monday calling lawmakers into session starting Jan. 27. He said the session is needed, in part, to take steps for the state to help carry out Trump’s planned crackdown on illegal immigration.

“Thank you Ron, hopefully other Governors will follow!” Trump said in a post Tuesday on Truth Social.

DeSantis also wants lawmakers to use the special session to address issues that have driven up costs for condominium owners, change a ballot-initiative process, help the agricultural industry and residents recovering from hurricanes and replenish funding for a popular home-hardening program.

But Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, indicated Monday they want to wait until the regular session, which will start March 4, to address all the issues.

“As you know, this Legislature will address illegal immigration, condominiums, petition initiatives and hurricane recovery this (regular) session, which starts in 50 days,” Albritton and Perez said in a joint memo to lawmakers. “Calling a special session at this time is premature.”

The News Service of Florida and The Associated Press contributed to this story.