Most Haiti experts agree the country can鈥檛 recover 鈥� or hold critical new presidential and parliamentary elections 鈥� until its powerful gangs are reined in. A Biden administration point person, tasked with helping Haitian law enforcement regroup and restore order, acknowledges that effort "will be a real challenge" but one the U.S. has to tackle.
As Haiti鈥檚 government collapses, violent street gangs are estimated to control half the capital, Port-au-Prince, and large parts of the rest of the country. The United States is now urging Americans not to travel there.
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Todd Robinson, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), visited Haiti this week to pledge the U.S.'s help. On his way back to Washington D.C., he told SA国际传谋 in Miami that helping Haiti rebuild its moribund public security is one of the U.S.鈥檚 biggest hemispheric challenges now.
鈥淲e have to bring our A game on this, and the Haitians too," said Robinson. "It's going to take significant investment on the part of the United States and the international community."
INL, Robinson insisted, "has committed to help the Haitian National Police stand up a force...to take back their country.鈥�
The U.S. has spent more than $300 million over the past decade to help bolster Haitian law enforcement. It just injected $15 million more, including armored vehicles INL sent this week. But Robinson, a veteran U.S. diplomat who was ambassador to Guatemala under President Obama, stressed the U.S. has no plans to send troops to help restore order, as some have requested.
鈥淲e鈥檝e tried interventions in the past and we are where we are," he said. "It鈥檚 up to Haitians to figure it out 鈥� to really take responsibility for their future.鈥�
Haiti is reeling after the July assassination of authoritarian President Jovenel Mo茂se and a major earthquake in August. Gangs have currently hijacked distribution of desperately needed fuel in Haiti 鈥� demanding the resignation of interim Prime Minister Ariel Henry 鈥� and they've recently stepped up an often deadly wave of ransom kidnapping.
Sixteen Americans and one Canadian, all belonging to an Ohio-based Christian missionary group, are still being held by a Haitian gang that abducted them last month outside Port-au-Prince. Robinson said U.S. officials are there helping to negotiate their release.
