US warns of corruption and reported bribery aimed at destabilizing Haiti as crisis deepens

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — U.S. officials announced Friday they are aware of “reported bribery attempts” aimed at destabilizing Haiti, raising concerns that the troubled country could sink further into crisis.

The announcements were made on X by the U.S. Embassy in Haiti and the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Officials did not provide details except to say that they commended members of Haiti’s transitional presidential council “for their rejection of corruption” and for collaborating with the current prime minister to “work together” to stabilize the country.

“We will hold accountable anyone who attempts to undermine this collaboration,” the embassy wrote on X.

The announcement comes as infighting threatens the stability of the council while gangs that control up to 90% of Haiti’s capital continue to seize more territory in Port-au-Prince and in Haiti’s central region.

The council’s voting members did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Neither did the U.S. Department of State nor the office of Haiti’s prime minister.

Some people on social media mocked the announcement as they accused some council members of being corrupt.

In October last year, Haiti’s anti-corruption unit accused three council members of bribery and corruption involving the government-owned National Bank of Credit. No one has been charged, and the council members remain in their positions.

Haiti’s political stability has been fragile ever since a powerful gang federation known as “Viv Ansanm” launched attacks early last year on critical government infrastructure including police stations and the country’s main international airport, forcing it to close for nearly three months.

The attacks prevented then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry from returning to Haiti. He eventually resigned, unable to enter his homeland following an official visit to Kenya to talk about a U.N.-backed mission that police from the eastern African country are currently leading to try and quash gang violence.

The council is under pressure to hold general elections by February 2026, with the previous ones held nearly a decade ago. No date has been set yet.

The council was created in April 2024 as the international community scrambled to meet with Haitian officials to rebuild the country’s government after Henry resigned. Political stability remains fragile, with three prime ministers having been appointed in the past year.

Meanwhile, gang violence continues to surge in the aftermath of the July 2021 killing of President Jovenel Moïse.

In a report released Friday, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti noted that at least 1,520 people were killed and more than 600 injured from April to the end of June. Nearly 80% of those incidents happened in Port-au-Prince, with nearly 20% reported in Haiti’s central region.

More than 60% of the killings and injuries occurred during operations by security forces against gangs, with another 12% blamed on self-defense groups.

The report noted that Johnson André, best known as “Izo” and considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader, was injured in drone strikes earlier this year, as was gang leader Renel Destina, who goes by “Ti Lapli” and leads the Grand Ravine gang.

From April to June, more than 400 homes and other buildings including schools and health centers “were ransacked, burned or destroyed by gangs,” the report stated.

Gang violence also has displaced more than 1.3 million people in recent years.

___

Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Evens Sanon in Port-au-Prince, Haiti contributed.