Haiti has surged in gang violence in recent weeks and is approaching “no return”, leading to “summary chaos,” the UN’s troubled Special Representative, warned on Monday.
Maria Isabel Salvador told the UN Security Council: “As gang violence continues to spread to new areas of the country, Haitians have experienced growing vulnerability and doubts about the ability of the state to respond to their needs.”
“Haiti may face overall chaos,” she said, adding that international aid is urgently needed to avoid such a fate. “I urge you to stay engaged and to meet the urgent needs of the country and its people.”
El Salvador cholera outbreaks and gender-based violence and the authorities struggle to respond in a situation where security situations worsen, especially in the capital Prince.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, facing severe political unrest, and the country's occupation is controlled by rival armed gangs that have been widely murdered, raped and kidnapped.
Armed groups have been fighting for control of Port-au-Prince, and the conflict has intensified as rival gangs try to establish new territory.
Forces led by the United Nations authorized by Kenya failed to postpone the gang. The mission has about 1,000 police officers from six countries, but intends to have 2,500 police officers.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned in a report seen by AFP that further international support is to “immediately ask the national police to prevent the capital from slipping and falling to the edge.”
Haiti's ambassador to the United Nations Ericq Pierre said his country was “slowly dead.”
“The Republic of Haiti died slowly under the combined action of armed gangs, drug traffickers and weapons dealers,” he said.
The report details the surge in violence, with the United Nations recording 2,660 homicides in the three months starting in December 2024, an increase of 41.3% from the previous quarter.
The report said the opposition to the battles resulted in 702 deaths at the time, with 21% of whom were estimated to be innocent civilians.
According to UN data, gender-based violence has also recorded a shocking increase, with 347 incidents reported in the five months to February 2025.
Collective rape is the most common violation, accounting for 61% of cases.
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