Today, thousands of protesters from opposition parties will gather in Port-au-Prince to demonstrate against President Jovenel Moise.
President Moise and other high-ranking Haitian officials were implicated in the PetroCaribe scandal, which alleges the mismanagement of development aid from 2005 to 2016. These Venezuela-sponsored funds came from oil wealth, with the intention of bolstering social programs.
Haiti has a long history of corruption, and the opposition is demanding that the government provide more transparency in the political process. Violent nationwide protests in late November drew thousands to the streets; ten demonstrators were killedamid street barricades, fires, gunfire and faceoffs between protesters and counter-protesters.
Opposition protests continued earlier this month on December 9 and 10, and today’s rallies will likely draw even larger numbers. After last month’s protests, today’s demonstrations could again turn violent, particularly in Port-au-Prince. Continue reading