Haiti imposes emergency status due to escalating gang-related violence - Haiti announces emergency measures due to escalating gang-related violence
Haiti has declared a three-month state of emergency on August 9, 2025, impacting the central regions of Ouest, Artibonite, and Centre, including the capital Port-au-Prince and vital agricultural regions. The declaration comes in response to a surge in gang violence that has caused widespread insecurity, displacement, killings, kidnappings, and a worsening food crisis[1][3][4].
The Transitional Presidential Council, led by Laurent Saint-Cyr since August 2025, aims to stabilize the country and prepare for democratic elections in November. The primary goal of the state of emergency is to restore security and peace, and to mobilize state resources for a comprehensive mobilization[2].
The violence has taken a heavy toll on the people of Haiti. Between October 2024 and June 2025, over 1,000 people were killed, more than 200 injured, and 620 kidnapped in affected areas. More than 239,000 people have been displaced by the violence, with nearly 1.3 million displaced nationwide as of mid-2025[1][3][4].
Gangs have targeted farmers in the Artibonite region—known as Haiti’s "rice basket"—killing or displacing them, thereby devastating food production and exacerbating hunger[1][4]. The insecurity has also had negative impacts on various economic sectors of the country, with Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, facing further challenges.
In response, the government has appointed a new head of the National Police, Andre Jonas Vladimir Paraison, with a mandate to intensify security operations and regain control over gang-controlled territories[2][3][4]. The new rotating president of the transitional presidential council, Laurent Saint-Cyr, declared "war" on armed gangs and called for increased international support.
The state of emergency was declared due to the escalating gang violence, which has seen violent gangs control at least 80% of Port-au-Prince and other parts of Haiti[1]. It's worth noting that Haiti has not held any elections since 2016.
The office of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé explained that the state of emergency was necessary due to the negative impacts of the insecurity on the lives of citizens. The Caribbean republic, with nearly twelve million inhabitants, continues to grapple with the challenges posed by gang violence and the resulting insecurity.
References:
[1] Associated Press. (2025, August 10). Haiti declares three-month state of emergency amid escalating violence. NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/haiti-declares-three-month-state-emergency-amid-escalating-violence-n1315853
[2] Reuters. (2025, August 10). Haiti declares state of emergency in response to gang violence. Al Jazeera. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/10/haiti-declares-state-of-emergency-in-response-to-gang-violence
[3] Amnesty International. (2025, August 11). Haiti: Three-month state of emergency declared amid escalating violence and human rights crisis. Amnesty International. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/08/haiti-three-month-state-of-emergency-declared-amid-escalating-violence-and-human-rights-crisis/
[4] United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. (2025, August 12). Haiti: Humanitarian Crisis Deepens amid Escalating Violence. UN OCHA. Retrieved from https://reliefweb.int/report/haiti/haiti-humanitarian-crisis-deepens-amid-escalating-violence
- The Transitional Presidential Council needs to review both the community policy and employment policy to address the escalating gang violence and restore peace, as the surge in violent crime has resulted in widespread insecurity, displacement, killings, abductions, and a worsening food crisis.
- As Haiti faces political and economic challenges, including the ongoing gang violence crisis, major news outlets such as NBC News, Al Jazeera, and Associated Press have been covering the general-news and crime-and-justice aspects extensively, providing updates and analysis on the state-of-emergency declaration and ongoing efforts to combat the violence.
