National police in Haiti used tear gas to disperse demonstrators who were protesting Prime Minister Ariel Henry's unelected government, which has seen violent gang alliances establish control over the majority of the capital.

Henry took power shortly after the killing of Jovenel Moise, the country's previous president, in 2021. Since then, a power vacuum has allowed formidable gangs to emerge, most of which have formed agreements with G9 and G-Pep.

PHOTO | COURTESY protesters

Clashes between rival gangs, police, and civilian vigilante groups have had a terrible impact on local inhabitants, who have witnessed indiscriminate killings, rampant sexual violence, looting, kidnapping for ransom, and arson.

"Henry has done absolutely nothing for the population; there is insecurity everywhere, the roads have been destroyed, and no one can go about their daily lives," protester Dominique Thelemaque told Reuters.

Did you read this?

  1. Over 150 People Killed In Haiti's Capital As Gang Violence Escalates
  2. China And Russia Oppose Upgrading Haiti Mission To UN Peacekeeping Force
  3. Over 20,000 Displaced In Haiti's Capital Amid Escalating Gang Violence

PHOTO | COURTESY protests

"We aren't here now to fight Ariel Henry and replace him with someone else. "We are here today to fight the system."

Earlier this year, the president of Human Rights Watch estimated that the violence had displaced approximately 300,000 people internally.

According to the UN, 170,000 children are internally displaced, and about half of the population is going hungry as a result of the fighting, which prohibits food, supplies, and people from moving around the nation.