Weekly Report July 01 to July 08

Historic Hotel Oloffson Reduced to Ashes in Gang Arson

The legendary Hotel Oloffson, a late 19th-century gingerbread mansion that once served as a presidential residence, American military hospital and cultural salon, was deliberately set ablaze by members of the Viv Ansanm gang coalition during clashes with Haitian National Police along Avenue Christophe. The fire raged through the night of July 5 into July 6, consuming the wooden structure despite no reported loss of life.

For decades the Oloffson stood as a beacon of Haitian creativity and hospitality. Its lush gardens, intricate latticework and storied hallways inspired Graham Greene’s portrayal of the Hotel Trianon in The Comedians. International luminaries from Jacqueline Onassis to Tennessee Williams, and artists like Haitian American singer Riva Précil—who lived there from age five to fifteen—found refuge and inspiration beneath its creaking floors.

Long-time manager Richard Morse, who oversaw the property remotely since its closure in 2022, confirmed the destruction via a post on X. “When drone footage came back, I knew this wasn’t like the other times,” he said, recalling months of rumors before the blaze. His daughter Isabelle described the Oloffson as “our home” and the heart of a community bound by art, music and shared history.

Residents reported being forced from their homes by heavy gunfire as flames engulfed the landmark. Journalists cannot yet access the site, which remains under gang control. Patrick Durandis of the Institute for Safeguarding National Heritage lamented the loss of a site that had endured coups, dictatorships and the 2010 earthquake.

Author Michael Deibert called the fire “a profound wound to Haiti’s cultural memory,” noting that visiting the Oloffson meant connecting with the nation’s political and artistic heritage. “You went to Haiti and were never the same,” he said.

The destruction of the Oloffson adds to the mounting toll of Haiti’s architectural patrimony as armed groups tighten their grip on Port-au-Prince. Its smoldering ruins stand as a stark reminder that, in a city besieged by violence, even the most cherished symbols of resilience can be lost.

Gang Alliances Extend Grip from Port-au-Prince to Lascahobas, Threatening National Stability

On July 5, 2025, at least eight civilians were killed when heavily armed gangs launched a coordinated assault across several border districts of Lascahobas in Haiti’s Centre department. Provisional reports from local authorities and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) confirm that the Bas Plateau region has once again been engulfed in violence, triggering fresh waves of displacement and exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.

Since April 2024, some 7,455 inhabitants have fled Lascahobas to escape repeated attacks, with the Desvarieux, Chambrun, and Sarrazins neighborhoods bearing the brunt. Thousands more have sought refuge in nearby towns, Hinche now shelters roughly 10,000 internally displaced persons, and Belladère around 27,000. In the wake of the latest violence, local education officials were forced to cancel the final day of ninth-grade exams, further disrupting community life and social cohesion.

This latest offensive is part of a broader territorial advance by gang coalitions that began with the seizure of Croix-des-Bouquets and spread rapidly to Ganthier. There, last year the 400 Mawozo faction burned down the police station and municipal offices, and on May 23, 2025, gunmen overran the Malpasse customs post in Fonds-Parisien, establishing an extortion checkpoint that chokes formal and informal trade routes. In the Artibonite, the Viv Ansanm alliance comprising 400 Mawozo and the Canaan gang attacked Mirebalais on March 31, freeing over 500 inmates and occupying strategic buildings, then took Saut d’Eau on April 3, preventing the town’s annual Mont Carmel festival.

On July 3, 2025, these factions pushed into Lascahobas, about fifty kilometers from Belladère, the third‐largest Haiti–Dominican Republic border crossing. Were they to secure Lascahobas, they would link the Centre Nord and Nord Est departments via the Ouanaminthe–Dajabón corridor, disrupt supply lines for food, fuel, and other essentials, and facilitate arms and contraband trafficking. Such a move could strain bilateral relations and threaten the continued operation of cross-border commerce.

Analysts warn that fragmented governance and under-resourced security forces have enabled this coordinated expansion. A comprehensive defense plan, one that might have reinforced the Terre Rouge police station after its capture in February 2024, could have forestalled further incursions. Meanwhile, gangs’ efforts to dominate maritime routes between Port-au-Prince and the Côte des Arcadins hint at plans to extend their reach toward the Grand Sud via the Grand Nord. Holding Lascahobas, therefore, is critical to preserving Haiti’s territorial integrity, safeguarding legitimate trade, and preventing deeper regional destabilization.

International Partners Reassess Haiti Security Mission

One year after Kenyan contingents first deployed to Port-au-Prince under the Multinational Mission for Support to Security (MMAS), President William Ruto has warned that Kenya may withdraw unless the operation receives adequate funding and logistical backing. In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Ruto noted that fewer than forty percent of pledged personnel have arrived and that only eleven percent of the six hundred-million-dollar budget for year one has been disbursed.

Meanwhile in Washington, Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified before the U.S. Senate that “Kenya is overwhelmed by the situation in Haiti” and urged the Organization of American States to assume its responsibilities. At the same time, U.S. Ambassador to the OAS Christopher Landau criticized the organization’s response to crises in Haiti, Venezuela and the Essequibo region during remarks on June 26.

Since its launch in June 2024, MMAS has recorded no successful anti-gang offensives or the securing of strategic routes, and overall security indicators continue to decline. As doubts about the mission’s viability grow, the Dominican Republic is pressing for a revised approach. On June 26, President Luis Abinader conferred with former President Danilo Medina to develop a common regional strategy and to propose that MMAS be reconfigured as a United Nations-mandated hybrid operation.

A meeting with former President Leonel Fernández is planned, and the Dominican Economic and Social Council has established six working groups to coordinate national policy on the Haitian crisis. At the initiative of the Dominican government and three former heads of state, the UN Security Council will convene on June 30 to evaluate MMAS’s future and to consider transitioning to a UN peace-support mission.

Until then, Haiti remains largely on its own. Gangs continue to hold sway in Port-au-Prince and hundreds of thousands of displaced persons face an uncertain future. With Kenya’s potential withdrawal, frozen U.S. contributions, OAS criticism and a Dominican-led UN initiative all converging, the international community’s strategy for Haiti appears at a critical juncture.

Gangs Tighten Grip on La Gonâve, Strangling Island Life

The criminal coalition Viv Ansanm, which has already cemented its dominance on the Haitian mainland, has now extended its reign to the waters surrounding La Gonâve. Residents report that gang members have established a stronghold at “Lilètkresan,” from where they patrol the sea lanes off Petite Anse. This maritime blockade has brought essential boat traffic to a halt, isolating the island and threatening the livelihoods of its inhabitants.

Sources report that since early 2025, armed groups have commandeered much of the island’s southern coast. With boats unable to depart from Petite Anse, local merchants and fishermen are cut off from their markets, and the price of basic goods has skyrocketed. The once-steady flow of supplies and trade between La Gonâve and the mainland has all but ceased.

The gangs’ brutality was laid bare on June 24, when they attacked Ti Gonav, murdering Deliswa, a prominent fish wholesaler. Witnesses say they forced survivors to scrub away the blood before departing with his body, leaving the tiny isle abandoned and its community paralyzed by fear. As these criminal networks tighten their maritime chokehold, islanders face an ever-darker future unless swift action restores security to Haitian waters.

RAID Trains Haitian Police in Hostile Environment Operations

Fifty-five officers from Haiti’s elite units, namely the Brigade de Recherche et d’Intervention (BRI), the Unité Tactique Anti-Gangs (UTAG), the Bureau de Lutte Contre les Stupéfiants (BLTS) and the Bureau de Lutte contre les Véhicules Volés (BLVV), along with nine French instructors, completed a weeklong course in operational command and hostile environment intervention delivered by members of France’s RAID (Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion). The program ran from 19 to 26 June 2025 at the National Police Academy on Route de Frères under the aegis of the Ministry of the Interior’s Direction de la Coopération Internationale de Sécurité (DCIS) and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs’ Direction de la Coopération de Sécurité et de Défense (DCSD).

During the training, participants practiced tactical marksmanship and real-world engagement drills using simulation weapons and ammunition. This hands-on work was made possible by the delivery of four tons of equipment and supplies to the Haitian National Police (PNH) on 16 to 17 June.

Beyond tactical skills, France has taken part in a series of multilateral seminars hosted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Organization of American States (OAS) in Panama aimed at strengthening judicial cooperation with Haiti in the fight against corruption and financial crime. Through the FRANCOPOL network of francophone police services, French experts are also conducting and planning additional courses to build capacity within the PNH’s Financial and Economic Affairs Bureau.

France further supports both the UN Sanctions Committee on Haiti and the European Union’s autonomous sanctions regime. At the United Nations Security Council session on Wednesday, the French representative urged the adoption of tougher measures to disrupt the financing networks of Haitian gangs and the transnational criminal organizations that back them.

Recurring Kidnappings Escalate in Delmas Districts 19, 31, and 33

On July 07, 2025, on Rue Dr. Kernizan in Delmas 33, armed abductors traveling in a pickup truck forced the lone occupant from a private vehicle and fled with both the victim and the car. Witnesses reported two motorcycles trailing the scene, suggesting that motorcyclists acted as lookouts or accomplices.

This incident closely resembles an abduction in Delmas 19 a few weeks ago. In recent months, Delmas 31 has also seen multiple attempted kidnappings, some involving the theft of the victim’s vehicle.

Despite these attacks’ frequency, public awareness has diminished. Kidnapping remains a grave and persistent threat across Delmas 19, 31, and 33.

Delmas municipal authorities are urged to repair the damaged section of Rue Dr. Kernizan where the July 07 abduction occurred. The rough roadway forced the victim’s car to slow, likely preventing an evasive maneuver. Restoring proper road conditions could create opportunities for potential victims to escape attackers. Continuous maintenance and heightened vigilance are essential to curb the rise in kidnappings throughout the Soisson neighborhood and Delmas districts 19, 31, and 33.

Bipartisan Bill Seeks Comprehensive US Response to Haiti Crisis

On July 2, Representatives Gregory Meeks (D NY) and Greg Murphy (R NC) introduced the bipartisan “Strategy to Address Key Priorities Affecting Security and Empowerment in Haiti Act” known as the SAK PASE Act. The legislation directs the State Department to develop and implement a unified plan within 90 days of enactment to confront Haiti’s escalating gang violence, humanitarian emergency and political instability while ensuring that any US efforts reinforce Haitian leadership.

“The humanitarian toll in Haiti demands a coordinated strategy,” said Representative Meeks. Representative Murphy added that “security in Haiti and the Caribbean directly impacts US national security.”

Since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti has endured persistent gang rule now controlling an estimated 90 percent of Port au Prince and acute political turmoil. A Kenyan led UN mandate force has so far failed to roll back armed groups. According to the United Nations, 5.5 million Haitians up from 5.2 million in 2023, required humanitarian assistance in 2024.

Under the SAK PASE Act, Secretary of State Marco Rubio must deliver to Congress a detailed roadmap for reducing gang dominance, restoring public order and supporting Haitian driven governance reforms. The measure underscores US commitment to a durable Haitian led path to stability.

WFP Warns of Acute Food Crisis Affecting 5.7 million Haitians

Haiti is now ranked among the five countries at highest risk of famine, alongside Sudan, South Sudan, Mali and Gaza according to the latest World Food Program analyses. Recent figures from the National Coordination of Food Security (CNSA) show that over 5.7 million Haitians, more than half the population, are experiencing acute food insecurity. Of these, 2 million are in emergency food insecurity and nearly 8 000 are classified in IPC Phase 5, phase called catastrophe, a level considered near famine. These most vulnerable people live primarily in internally displaced persons camps where around 1.3 million have fled due to gang violence. While the formal criteria for declaring famine have not yet been met, the prolonged displacement, dwindling humanitarian funding and severe access challenges mean that localized famines could still occur without timely intervention.

As violence continues to rise the WFP faces significant hurdles in supporting Haiti’s most vulnerable communities. With a 2025 budget of $300 million the WFP is already confronting a $155 million shortfall. Jean Martin Bauer, Director of Food Security Analysis at the WFP, warns that this funding gap threatens the continuation of life saving activities. He stressed that unless partners step up contributions the WFP may be unable to maintain its operations at a time when Haiti’s vulnerability is extreme, further risking the collapse of social cohesion and amplifying the humanitarian crisis.

Despite these challenges the WFP has reached 1.7 million people so far this year through cash transfers and warm meal distributions to displaced families although the latter has been halted for lack of resources. Nearly half a million schoolchildren have benefited from daily meals prepared with locally sourced products, providing both nutrition and support to small Haitian farmers. The WFP is also collaborating with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor to develop a nationwide social protection system for all Haitians living below the poverty line. Bauer calls on international partners to mobilize urgently, warning that prolonged inaction will undermine not only individual wellbeing but the very fabric of Haitian society.

Haitian National Police Lose Two Officers in Artibonite and Kenscoff Clashes

Over the weekend, the Haitian National Police suffered two fatal losses during separate security operations in the Artibonite department and the commune of Kenscoff. In the Artibonite, an officer from the Unité Temporaire Anti-Gang (UTAG) was killed in intense gunfire during a confrontation in Charrier, near Désarmes and just outside Saint-Marc. His identity has not yet been released as investigations continue.

Later, in Kenscoff’s Viard neighborhood on the night of July 5–6, a police patrol was ambushed by heavily armed criminals. Multiple SWAT officers were wounded in the attack, and Officer Olrich Joseph succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to a hospital. The assailants also torched an armored police vehicle and circulated footage of the blaze online, underscoring the growing threat to law enforcement across Haiti.

Brazil and Haiti Forge Strategic Partnership on Security and Development

Brazil has pledged to bolster the capabilities of Haiti’s security forces by providing specialized training for the Haitian National Police (PNH) and supporting the reestablishment of the Armed Forces of Haiti (FAd’H). This collaboration is designed to professionalize law enforcement and strengthen their readiness to address the country’s persistent security challenges.

Economic resilience in rural areas also took center stage during the discussions. Brazil will deliver technical expertise to enhance Haiti’s poultry industry particularly egg production with the goal of boosting local food self-sufficiency and creating income-generation opportunities for farming communities. This effort underscores the spirit of South-South cooperation and the transfer of practical skills.

Both nations agreed to develop joint vocational training initiatives aligned with Haiti’s labor market needs. Moreover, they will partner under the Global Alliance Against Poverty and Hunger, an initiative championed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to implement tangible projects aimed at reducing inequality in developing countries.

Haitian Minister Jean-Victor Harvel Jean-Baptiste emphasized the importance of a clear, sovereignty-respecting roadmap, insisting that “Haitian citizens must remain at the center of all decisions.” He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to organize general elections before year-end 2025, in accordance with democratic standards.

In the weeks ahead, a delegation from the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) will visit Haiti to review ongoing programs, evaluate their outcomes, and explore new areas for bilateral cooperation.

Ugandan General Proposes UPDF Deployment to Secure Haiti in Thirty Days

Ugandan General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces land component and son of President Yoweri Museveni, announced his readiness to send Ugandan troops to Haiti’s Multinational Security Support Mission. In a post on his X account, he said that if formally invited by the United Nations or the United States, the UPDF could restore order in Haiti in less than thirty days.

This proposal comes amid growing doubts about the effectiveness of the Kenyan led multinational force currently operating in Port au Prince. Early reports indicate that those units have encountered heavy gunfire and coordinated ambushes by gangs that control many neighborhoods. At the same time, the Haitian National Police continues to face increasing violence between rival groups, a wave of kidnappings, and a weakening of state institutions.

General Kainerugaba’s bold offer has attracted both attention and skepticism. Known for his political ambitions and outspoken media presence, he has long sought a prominent role in regional and international security. Although no formal response has been made by international bodies, his intervention raises new questions about the mission’s mandate, its operational capacity, and the international community’s strategy for achieving stability in Haiti.

Terror Grips Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite Overnight

Overnight from Friday, July 4 to Saturday, July 5, the commune of Petite Rivière de l’Artibonite was plunged into panic as the sound of automatic gunfire echoed through multiple neighborhoods. Families spent the night barricaded in their homes, terrified to venture outside until dawn. According to eyewitnesses, heavily armed members of the “Gran Grif” gang, based in Savien attempted to storm the town center again. Security forces mounted a rapid response, engaging the assailants in intense firefights that lit up the night sky. No fatalities have been officially confirmed, although property damage was reported in several districts. Residents say this latest assault only deepens their ever-present fear.

Haiti’s Police Union Demands Immediate Pay Raise Amid Rising Costs

The National Union of Haitian Police Officers (SYNAPOHA) has renewed its call for an immediate salary adjustment for members of the Haitian National Police (PNH), citing deteriorating living conditions and rampant inflation. In a statement released on July 1, 2025, the union criticized government inaction despite repeated warnings since 2019.

Based in Tabarre, SYNAPOHA pointed out the discrepancy between the state’s promises and the reality on the ground. Although this year’s security budget reached 33 billion gourdes, officers’ wages remain stagnant, healthcare provisions are inadequate, and working conditions are precarious amid escalating violence. “A respected officer is a motivated officer. Public safety depends on fair pay,” the union declared.

Citing Haiti’s Labor Code, which allows for equitable wage negotiations, SYNAPOHA noted the absence of a legal mechanism for annual public‐sector pay reviews, leaving reforms at the mercy of political will. Their demands include an immediate salary increase, better working conditions, and formal recognition of officers’ contributions. “Police cannot continue to live in humiliation,” said union spokesperson Mathieu Sidel, urging nationwide support. As officers face daily risks, the union warned that effective law enforcement cannot occur without protecting, respecting, and adequately compensating those on the front lines.