Why is Biden not taking decisive action on the humanitarian crisis in Haiti?
Haiti is once again spiraling into chaos and violence, a situation that historically prompts intervention by the United States.
Will the Biden administration choose to intervene?
Recently, on March 2, a massive prison break occurred, freeing nearly 4,000 inmates from the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince. This incident was part of a series of coordinated attacks that have left heavily armed gangs in control of 80% of the city, including the international airport. Armed vigilantes are the main opposition to these gangs countrywide.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry was forced to land in Puerto Rico due to the chaos, disrupting his return from Kenya, where he was advocating for the deployment of a UN-sponsored international force to help restore order.
The US State Department has advised Americans to leave Haiti, but doing so is challenging given that the gangs control the airport and neighboring Dominican Republic has closed its airspace to flights to and from Haiti.
Notably, gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, a former police officer, has threatened “civil war that will lead to genocide” unless Henry resigns. The situation has left Haiti in a state of escalating turmoil.
The recent events were triggered by President Jovenel Moise’s assassination in July 2021, followed by Henry’s assumption of power as a de facto dictator. Henry survived an assassination attempt in January and has refrained from holding elections.
The Parliament lacks enough members to convene legally, and it is unsafe to do so even if possible. The high court is also facing significant dysfunction.
Tens of thousands of Haitians have sought refuge in the United States, including the well-known case of 17,000 migrants camped under the Del Rio, Texas bridge in 2021.
The Biden administration has recognized Henry as Haiti’s leader, in part because of his cooperation in facilitating US deportation of Haitian migrants. The administration has stated that US troops will not be sent to restore order in Haiti but will instead support funding for the UN force, comprised of security personnel from Africa, the Caribbean, and Central America.
The UN Security Council approved the Kenyan-led force in October, but deploying it remains uncertain. The last UN force, led by Brazil, which was deployed to Haiti caused a cholera outbreak and faced allegations of misconduct.
While President Biden has been vocal about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, perhaps he should also address the plight of 11 million Haitians just a few hundred miles from US shores.
