Why is Haiti such a mess?

Widespread corruption and economic stagnation – the poor island country is a mess. But Haiti's problems go beyond low average test scores.

Written by Noah Carl.

By all accounts, Haiti is still at the roving bandit stage of state formation. The country’s previous leader, Jovenel Moïse, was brutally assassinated by a group of foreign mercenaries for reasons that are somewhat murky. (Dozens of people have been charged, including his own widow.) Haiti’s most recent leader, Ariel Henry, resigned after he was unable to return from a trip to Kenya because gangs had laid siege to the international airport.

According to The Economist, gangs presently control 80% of the capital city, Port-au-Prince. In recent weeks, they have not only laid siege to the international airport, but have also carried out a major jail break and taken over several government buildings. “The Haitian police and military are outnumbered,” the magazine notes, “and in many cases outgunned”.