Haiti’s government announced a three-month state of emergency on Saturday in the country’s central region, where gang violence has been escalating alarmingly, according o a report published by The Associated Press on Sunday. The emergency covers the West, Artibonite, and Center departments, aiming to tackle the growing insecurity and address the agricultural and food crisis facing the Caribbean country.
Central Region at the Cenetr of Struggle
The affected area, often called Haiti’s rice basket, has suffered greatly, with frequent reports emerging of gangs killing farmers or forcing them to abandon their fields, destroying nearby communities in the process. Reports suggest the latest wave of violence has taken a serious toll on both people and livelihoods.
The United Nations’ human rights office said that between October 2024 and June 2025, over 1,000 people were killed, more than 200 injured, and 620 kidnapped in the Artibonite and Central departments along with surrounding areas, as reported by AP. Additionally, the violence has displaced more than 239,000 people in this region alone.
In a desperate bid to escape the gangs, dozens of people were seen wading and swimming across Haiti’s largest river in late April.
Leadership Changes Amid Crisis
On Friday, the Haitian government appointed André Jonas Vladimir Paraison as the new interim director general of the National Police to replace Normil Rameau, who has faced criticism over his alleged inability to control gang violence that now dominates up to 90% of the country’s capital Port-au-Prince. Rameau, the report said, had consistently pointed to the department’s severe lack of funding as a major hurdle.
Paraison brings experience, having served as head of security at Haiti’s National Palace. Notably, he was on duty when former President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated at his home in July 2021.
Transition and Hope
These changes come as business tycoon Laurent Saint-Cyr assumes the presidency of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, the report said. The council is tasked with overseeing elections by February 2026, aiming to bring stability back to the troubled region.
