(2022-08) CRS - Haïti : Conflit politique et aperçu de la politique américaine

August 2, 2022 Haiti: Political Conflict and U.S. Policy Overview Conflict and political fragility have plagued Haiti, the In September 2021, Henry and his supporters proposed that poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, for much of its he name a provisional electoral council to convene elections history. Haiti improved governance prior to the 2010 and that he remain the single head of government until a earthquake, but progress since has been uneven. new elected government takes office. He has yet to appoint Democratic institutions remain weak and corruptible. that council, and many civil society and political actors Poverty remains extreme and economic disparity wide. within Haiti have opposed Henry’s proposal. Haiti’s proximity to the United States, instability, and vulnerability to natural disasters have made relations with As an alternative to Henry’s proposal, numerous civil Haiti an ongoing policy issue for the U.S. government. society organizations and political parties, some in coalitions, have sought to form an interim government. A year after the July 2021 assassination of President After months of broad consultations, the Citizen Jovenel Moïse and an August 2021 earthquake that killed Conference for a Haitian Solution to the Crisis (widely 2,000 people, Haiti lacks an elected president, legislature, known as the Montana Group) came to an agreement in and mayors. No elections are scheduled to replace the August 2021. The Montana Accord proposed a two-year expired terms of Haitian officials at any level of interim government led by a president and prime minister, government. A political standoff between Prime Minister with oversight committees, to restore order, administer Ariel Henry’s government and political and civil society elections, and create a truth and justice commission to leaders has occurred amid a worsening security crisis. The address past human rights violations. Although many civic ongoing crises in Haiti are major concerns for the Biden leaders and political parties signed the Montana Accord, Administration and many Members of Congress. U.S. others did not (including some business groups, churches, policymakers have pushed for an inclusive, Haitian-led and the PHTK and allied parties). political accord leading to new elections and have increased security assistance for the Haitian police. Negotiations between Henry and the Montana Group have yet to bear fruit. In June 2022, both parties named Political Paralysis negotiation commissions that began meeting in mid-July. As in past periods when Haitian presidents failed to hold Some observers favor a Henry-Montana Group agreement, timely elections, former President Moïse of the Haitian Tèt but others warn such an agreement may not receive broad Kale Party (PHTK) had been governing extra- enough support among the Haitian people to be successful. constitutionally prior to his assassination. Moïse failed to convene parliamentary elections due in 2019 and began Security Crisis ruling by decree in 2020. There was controversy over Violent gangs, some formerly tied to the PHTK, threaten to whether his term ended in February 2021 or February 2022. overwhelm the government with greater resources and Moïse, like some other Haitian politicians and business weaponry. Gangs have exerted power and control over leaders, allegedly provided money and arms to gangs and territory, access to fuel, and the delivery of humanitarian other criminal groups in exchange for suppressing anti- aid, challenging the authority of the Haitian National Police government protests, according to Insight Crime. (HNP) and other state institutions. Since Moïse’s assassination, gangs have expanded their power, as Following Moïse’s July 2021assassination, the United evidenced by the October 2021 kidnapping of U.S. States and other donors supported Henry’s bid to serve as missionaries, hindering the HNP’s ability to combat drug prime minister over other competitors. Shortly before the trafficking and other crimes. assassination, Moïse had nominated Henry, a neurosurgeon, to be prime minister. The legislature lacked a quorum to There are as many as 200 gangs in Haiti, and they control consider him, however, and the president had not sworn 60% of Port-Au-Prince, key ports, and roads, according to a him in. Henry’s irregular path to his position and study commissioned by the U.S. Agency for International allegations of his possible involvement in Moïse’s Development (USAID). From January to May 2022, assassination, a case that remains unresolved, have eroded kidnappings rose by 36% and homicides by 17%, according his credibility. Henry has fired officials who have sought to to U.N. data; sexual violence is rampant. A wave of gang question him about the case. Under Henry, inflation has violence in Port-Au-Prince in mid-July resulted in more further damaged the economy and insecurity has worsened. than 470 killings, according to the United Nations. As of August 1, 2022, 1.4% of the population had been Impunity prevails in Haiti’s weak justice system. In fully vaccinated against Coronavirus Disease 2019 addition to failing to resolve Moïse’s assassination, Haitian (COVID-19), according to Johns Hopkins University. authorities have yet to arrest Jimmy Cherizier, a former HNP officer turned gang leader, or other Haitian officials implicated in the 2018 La Saline massacre of 71 people. https://crsreports.congress.gov Haiti: Political Conflict and U.S. Policy Overview The escalating gang violence threatens to worsen political, well as a gang leader responsible for the 2021 kidnapping economic, and social conditions in Haiti, a country where of U.S. missionaries. the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that 40% of the population is in need of U.S. apprehensions of Haitian migrants have risen notably, humanitarian assistance. Violence has prompted closures of both at sea and on the southwest border. From January to schools, businesses, markets, and medical facilities and has June 2022, the International Organization for Migration limited humanitarian access in some areas. Gang violence assisted more than 19,000 Haitians repatriated to Haiti, 73% also could inhibit future disaster responses. of whom were removed from the United States. The United States also has taken steps to provide legal migration and U.S. Policy protection pathways for some Haitians. Some 155,000 U.S. policy goals in Haiti aim to support Haitians in their Haitians may be eligible for relief from removal under the efforts to confront insecurity; restore democratic Temporary Protected Status designation announced in May institutions; and promote economic growth, educational 2021. In July 2022, the Administration said it would resume opportunities, and health care. The Biden Administration’s the Haitian Family Reunification Parole program, allowing political approach to Haiti has evolved from supporting the certain U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents to seek Henry government to pushing Henry, the Montana Group, parole for family members in Haiti. and other stakeholders to reach an inclusive political accord. In a July 6, 2022, Miami Herald editorial, Assistant Congressional Action Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian The 117th Congress has enacted legislation, appropriated Nichols said, “the time has come for ... steps that will allow and conditioned foreign assistance, and conducted oversight Haiti to restore democratic order.” of U.S. policy toward Haiti. Congress has held hearings and briefings on U.S. policy toward Haiti, U.S. treatment of U.S. and international donors, criticized for past Haitian migrants, and Haiti’s April 2022 selection as one of interventions in the country, have emphasized their support the priority countries of focus under the Global Fragility for Haitian-led solutions to the country’s challenges. On Act (P.L. 116-94). July 15, the U.N. Security Council requested that Haitian officials provide an update on progress toward a political Congress enacted the Haiti Development, Accountability, accord by mid-October. The Security Council also renewed, and Institutional Transparency Initiative (HAITI Act; H.R. but did not expand, the mandate of the U.N. Integrated 2471/S. 1104) as part of the FY2022 Consolidated Office in Haiti, established in 2019 to strengthen political Appropriations Act (P.L. 117-103). The act requires U.S. stability and the rule of law in Haiti. agencies to measure the progress of post-disaster recovery and efforts to address corruption, governance, rule of law, U.S. foreign assistance to Haiti for FY2022-FY2024 is to and media freedoms in Haiti. be guided by a two-year Integrated Country Strategies (ICS) adopted in March 2022. The Administration P.L. 117-103 does not designate an appropriations level for requested $274.8 million in assistance for Haiti in FY2023, Haiti. The act requires the State Department to withhold up from the $204.4 million provided in FY2021, most of those funds and any other aid for the central government of which would fund health and other development activities. Haiti until a new president and parliament have taken office following free and fair elections or the Secretary of State Although a complete breakdown of FY2022 aid to Haiti is determines a transitional government representative of not yet available, the United States allocated $56 million in Haitian society is in place and it is in the U.S. interest to development assistance, as well as at least $48 million in provide assistance. Notwithstanding those requirements, the International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement funds act allows U.S. agencies to provide assistance to support to support the HNP and $5 million to improve prison elections, anti-gang police and justice administration, public conditions. U.S. assistance also has included more than health, food security, water and sanitation, education, $153 million in humanitarian aid since the August 2021 disaster relief and recovery, and other programs to meet earthquake, according to a July 2022 State Department fact basic human needs. sheet. USAID and the State Department have provided at least $47 million in health aid to help Haiti address Congress is considering the FY2023 budget request. The FY2023 State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill COVID-19 and have donated more than 500,000 vaccines. reported by the House Appropriations Committee (H.R. The Department of Defense has provided disaster relief and 8282) does not designate a total funding level for Haiti; it has donated $5 million in equipment and health supplies. includes the same conditions as P.L. 117-103. The report U.S. policy toward Haiti also has included the use of accompanying the bill (H.Rept. 117-401) would require a sanctions; judicial support for the investigation into Moïse’s report by USAID on maternal care in Haiti. Additionally, assassination; and extradition for those complicit in arms measures to extend duty-free treatment from 2025 to 2035 trafficking, gang violence, and drug trafficking. In with respect to imports from Haiti under the Caribbean December 2020, the Treasury Department sanctioned Basin Economic Recovery Act have been introduced as the Cherizier and two other former officials for grave human Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act of 2021 (S. rights violations under the Global Magnitsky Act. The 3279 in November 2021; H.R. 6136 in December 2021). Department of Justice (DOJ) has assisted Haitian officials investigating the Moïse assassination. DOJ has secured the Clare Ribando Seelke, Specialist in Latin American extradition of two individuals complicit in that crime as Affairs https://crsreports.congress.gov Haiti: Political Conflict and U.S. Policy Overview IF12182 Maureen Taft-Morales, Specialist in Latin American Affairs Disclaimer This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material. https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12182 · VERSION 1 · NEW