Haitian gangs bolstered by foreign support and funding

Santo Domingo.- The rise of Haitian gangs began between 2018 and 2019 amid anti-neoliberal protests, particularly against rising fuel prices, according to sociologist and historian Lautaro Rivara. Speaking on the program El Día, Rivara explained that criminal groups gained significant territorial control during this period, bolstered by foreign involvement, including U.S. marines, mercenaries, and operatives from countries like Serbia who introduced advanced weaponry and technology.

Rivara noted that these external forces facilitated the organization and empowerment of gangs, uniting previously antagonistic groups under centralized leadership. He emphasized that the firearms used by Haitian gangs are exclusively U.S.-made, entering Haiti through ports in Florida. Today, gangs control 80-85% of Haitian territory, including much of Port-au-Prince, creating a severe crisis. Rivara characterized this as a paramilitary phenomenon, an instrument for territorial control rarely seen to this extent in the region.

To address the crisis, Rivara advocates for internal solutions focused on reestablishing democratic legitimacy through elections and combating gangs with national resources. He emphasized that sustainable progress requires reliance on Haitian-led initiatives rather than external interventions.