Haiti was gripped by a severe fuel shortage in early 2019 after Venezuela significantly curtailed its oil exports to the country under the PetroCaribe agreement. Long lines stretched for blocks outside gas stations across Port-au-Prince, and many stations simply closed their pumps due to lack of supply.
The Venezuelan government, itself facing crippling economic problems and U.S. sanctions, had pulled back on its commitments to Caribbean partners, leaving countries like Haiti scrambling to find alternative suppliers at market rates they could barely afford.
The fuel shortage had a cascading effect on daily life. Tap-taps and motorbike taxis sat idle, hospitals struggled to power generators, and businesses reliant on fuel for equipment and transportation reported significant losses. The price of basic goods spiked as the cost of transporting them climbed.
The Haitian government attempted to negotiate emergency fuel purchases through private importers and international partners, but the process was slow and expensive. For ordinary Haitians already squeezed by inflation and political turmoil, the fuel crisis was another blow in an increasingly difficult year.