August M
True democracy depends entirely on stability and safety. But when armed gangs take control of an entire country, organizing a nationwide vote becomes nearly impossible for any government.
Everyday routines collapse completely under the weight of unrelenting violence and fear, reports TV 2 News.
Deeply broken
Five years after assassins shot President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti is trying to organize its first election in a decade, Danish broadcaster TV 2 reported. Yet armed gangs currently control 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The lawlessness makes voting plans seem ridiculous to longtime observers. Documentary director Asger Leth, who filmed in the country for decades, believes the country is simply too dangerous for a real vote.
“People can vote on the north coast, maybe on the south coast, but over half of the country is not functioning, and voters cannot come forward because it is not safe,” Leth explained to TV 2.
Total collapse
Basic infrastructure across the Caribbean nation has collapsed. Half the population lacks electricity, while one in three residents cannot get clean drinking water.
Gang violence has displaced 12 percent of the population. A brutal gang alliance named Viv Ansanm dominates the streets, carrying out mass kidnappings, rapes, and illicit trafficking.
Chilling reports highlight the severity of the crisis. A UN Security Council document detailed cases in northern Haiti where hospital patients were discharged with missing organs.
“Life doesn’t work in the capital. How do you make a choice when those who normally go to school can’t?” Leth asked rhetorically.
Outside help
Electoral officials scheduled the first voting round for December, with final results planned for early 2027. However, officials admitted the vote requires a safer environment and substantial money.
“The organization of these elections is a shared responsibility. It requires the commitment of the government, various actors, and national and international partners,” Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council stated.
Conditions have grown so extreme that even international airlines suspended flights after gangs shot at commercial planes. For Leth, domestic solutions are no longer realistic.
Leth concluded: “That country will never be brought under control until the UN steps in and takes over.”
Sources: TV 2, Reuters
