On this day at the end of December, the “blockades” (traffic jams, in Creole) on the national road 2 make it possible to observe at leisure an astonishing structure in the middle of the town of Carrefour: a bridge, or rather an arch, above of the road. But on either side of the suspended reinforced concrete platform, nothing, not an access road. And not a semblance of a building site to complete the work. Wanted by Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, this deviation has come to a complete standstill since his assassination on July 7, by a commando who entered his residence in Pétion-Ville.
→ ANALYSIS. Haiti, why so many misfortunes
Unfinished, abandoned, this bridge is like a symbol of the current state of the country, the “pearl of the Antilles”. Already in bad shape during the lifetime of Jovenel Moïse, Haiti is not recovering. “The country is lost”, loose a European settled for several decades in the southwest of the island, near the city of Les Cayes. As he speaks, a voice on the radio lists Haiti’s long list of current “great evils”: “President killed, police officers murdered, kidnappings, explosion of a tanker …”
In Port-au-Prince, if poverty is widely visible in the streets, it is insecurity that dominates. ” Where are you going ? “, questions a policeman who stops vehicles as they approach Martissant, a suburb where rival gangs clash. He insists : “No further, no further. “ So many were those who predicted a truce in the violence during the holiday season – all the more important in the country as Haiti commemorated its independence on the 1is January – kidnappings in broad daylight are on the increase. «Except for being a robber yourself, no one is immune ”, a young man despairs.
The totally absent state
In the south, the reality is quite different. The population is struggling to recover from the earthquake of August 14. Many villages have been completely destroyed, while in cities many homes are rubble. Almost five months following the earthquake, hundreds of families are still living in tents set up by the roadsides.
Whether in the face of insecurity or reconstruction, “The state is totally absent, comments a good connoisseur of the local reality. It may be even worse than if he didn’t exist, because it means he might try to act, but doesn’t even do it. “ Even international aid seems helpless. “It is often said that Haiti is a cemetery of projects, underlines a Frenchman living in Port-au-Prince. It is a country on a drip of various international aid, which quickly sees the decline of what has been given. “
→ READ. Pope Francis releases € 200,000 for Haiti
Faced with this situation, many Haitians are trying to leave the country. Every day, long lines of candidates jam Port-au-Prince airport to board for Chile or Brazil, where many Haitians have emigrated. The neighboring Dominican Republic is also a favorite destination for Haitians. “Making the choice to leave is so obvious”sighs a boy in his twenties from the Port-au-Prince region. However, he assures us that he does not plan to leave his country, “Even if the situation is more and more difficult”.
Postponed elections
For those who are determined to stay in Haiti the possibilities for improvement seem almost non-existent, at least in the coming weeks and months. Institutionally, the elections to find a successor to Jovenel Moïse and to renew some of the political staff have been postponed indefinitely.. In the absence of a president, thecountry is led by the Prime Minister, Ariel Henry.
→ EXPLANATION. Haiti: crisis and divisions at the top of the state
The only positive note: the Covid-19 spares the country for the moment. “The virus is afraid of Haiti”, we have fun. The daily cases are very few, while the population adopts very few, if at all, barrier measures. As a French nun breathes, “Here, we see armed gangs, but no Covid patients”.
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A stalled investigation
Six months following the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, the investigation is progressing little.
♦ One charge. Mario Palacios, a 43-year-old Colombian. Accused of having been a member of the commando, he was indicted in Miami on Tuesday, January 4, for “Conspiracy leading to the death of a foreign leader” and “Conspiracy to kidnap and kill a foreign leader”.
♦ About forty arrests. 44 people are detained in Port-au-Prince, including around 20 Colombian nationals, but to date have not been charged.
♦ Sponsors still unknown. According to New York Times, Jovenel Moïse was preparing to denounce powerful politicians and entrepreneurs in the country involved in corruption.
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