Haitians rang in the New Year of 2019 with a mixture of hope and deep anxiety, as the country faced a confluence of political, economic, and humanitarian challenges unlike anything seen in recent years. In Port-au-Prince, celebrations were muted compared to previous years, with many residents staying home amid ongoing security concerns and the financial strain of a crippling economic downturn.
The PetroCaribe protest movement, which had electrified the country in late 2018, showed no signs of fading. Opposition leaders promised to maintain pressure on President Jovenel Moïse throughout the new year, and protest organizers were already planning demonstrations for January. The rallying cry of “Kot Kòb PetroCaribe a?” — Where is the PetroCaribe money? — had become one of the most recognized political slogans in Haitian history.
Economic analysts painted a grim picture for the year ahead. The gourde had lost significant value against the dollar, inflation was climbing, and the fuel shortages that had periodically gripped the country showed no sign of permanent resolution. For ordinary Haitians already living on the margins, 2019 promised to be another year of struggle.
Yet Haitians, as they have throughout their nation’s turbulent history, found reasons for resilience. Community organizations, church groups, and diaspora networks vowed to support their communities regardless of what the political class delivered. The spirit that had sustained Haiti through earthquake, epidemic, and storm was still very much alive.