Around 200 people were violently murdered in Haiti in the last three months due to riots
Haiti has seen an increase of violence from July to September. An estimated 200 people have died fighting for their political cause.
Thousands of protestors have demanded the resignation of current President Michel Martelly as he has failed to decrease poverty as well as unemployment rates since his run-off election in 2011.
Riots broke out in the streets of Port-au-Prince from July to September when thousands of protestors against the current leader, Michel Martelly, encountered a group of his loyalists. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of two people opposing Martelly’s authority and left many more badly injured.
A devastating series of events for Haiti
Haiti was also victim of a devastating earthquake in January killing 230,000 in Port-au-Prince. The nation is also suffering from Cholera outbreaks since 2010.
At the time of Martelly’s election, Haiti was in the midst of the Cholera outbreak and merely recovering from a devastating earthquake which killed 230,000 and left thousands homeless in the capital of Parc-au-Prince.
Despite rumors that he may have bribed his way to presidency, the Haitians cheered with joy to hear the ex-pop star would soon be their leading their country.
In October 2012, frustrated by the lack of changes promised and the stagnant high cost of living, hundreds gathered to protest against Martelly.
A month later, Hurricane Sandy adds to the dismay leaving 20,000 people homeless and magnifying the existing cholera endemic.*
Demanding the resignation, driven by desperation
It isn’t certain if Martelly did or didn’t bribe his way to the top, nor does it matter. Normally, I would advocate democracy and the sovereignty of the population, but this is an exception since his country supported him and celebrated as he took the leading position.
For the past three years Haiti has suffered from the worst luck facing disaster after disaster impeding economic growth. As a result, a great portion of its population becomes jobless, hungry, and/or homeless. The rioting stems from a group demanding the resignation of President Martelly but is driven by survival instinct.
The unforeseen series of events has caused Martelly to lose his popularity but his resignation would only make matters worse. If the rioters succeed to overthrow Martelly from office, having no one in office could have costly negative consequences and a reelection process would only worsen the economic situation—however, desperate times call for desperate measures.