Overview

• Haiti's transitional presidential council announced a special budget and additional security forces to combat escalating gang violence, following widespread protests in Port-au-Prince.
• Protesters clashed with police outside government offices, voicing frustration over the council's failure to restore order nearly a year after its formation.
• Gang violence has displaced over 60,000 people in the past month, with attacks spreading to previously safe neighborhoods and central towns like Mirebalais.
• The Kenyan-led U.N.-backed security mission remains underfunded and understaffed, operating with only 40% of its intended personnel, limiting its effectiveness in curbing gang control.
• Haiti has not held elections since 2016, and critics allege government corruption and collusion with gangs have exacerbated the crisis.