SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Haiti’s government has announced new dates for upcoming general elections amid ongoing violent clashes between armed gangs and security forces. The Provisional Electoral Council revealed that the first round of elections is scheduled for July 18, 2024, followed by a second round on October 4, 2024.
Haiti has not conducted elections in over a decade and is currently led by an unelected prime minister. The presidential office has been vacant since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
The council plans to release a final list of candidates, including those vying for the presidency and Senate, by mid-January. Key figures in the presidential race include former presidents Michel Martelly, Claude Joseph, and Jocelerme Privert, as well as former Chamber of Deputies president Gary Bodeau and Public Prosecutor Jean Ernest Muscadin. Martelly and Bodeau have faced U.S. sanctions due to allegations of corruption, while Muscadin has been accused of involvement in extrajudicial killings.
Samuel Joisil, whose civilian brigade in Canape-Vert has been credited with combating gang violence in Port-au-Prince, is also running for mayor of the capital.
The initial election date was set for December 13, 2023, but was postponed amid escalating gang violence, particularly in Haiti’s central region and in the capital. Tensions intensified following the abduction of four Salvadoran aviation technicians on October 18, after they were attacked while working with a U.N.-affiliated gang suppression force. In response, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele deployed more than 2,000 troops to aid in their recovery.
Discussions between Bukele and Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé have focused on reinforcing security cooperation under the U.N.-sponsored gang suppression initiative. However, experts have raised concerns over the role and operational dynamics of Salvadoran forces in Haiti. Romain Le Cour, head of the Haiti Observatory at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, highlighted uncertainties surrounding the Salvadoran troops’ objectives and coordination with local police and international forces.
Bukele, addressing the deployment on X, emphasized that the operation is not an invasion and that El Salvador has no intention of dominating Haiti. He expressed a commitment to rescuing the kidnapped technicians.
Concerns for civilian safety amid the conflict are growing. Doctors Without Borders reported treating 30 patients for gunshot wounds or drone-related injuries between October 18 and 26. The organization urged all parties involved to ensure unhindered access to healthcare for those in need, citing dangerous travel conditions caused by violence.
According to U.N. reports, over 5,700 people have been killed or injured in Haiti from January to mid-September 2023. Humanitarian efforts emphasize the necessity for all stakeholders, including Haitian authorities and the international community, to prioritize civilian protection and adhere to international law.
