As Haiti entered the new decade of the 2020s, the country carried the accumulated weight of years of unresolved political, economic, and social crises into an uncertain future. The PetroCaribe protest movement had demonstrated the depth of popular frustration with corruption and misgovernance but had not produced the political transformation its participants demanded. The economy had contracted for two consecutive years, inflation remained punishing, and the institutions of governance were weaker than they had been at any point in recent memory.
The list of unresolved challenges was daunting: a parliament that was about to expire without replacement; a PetroCaribe investigation that had produced allegations but no convictions; gang violence that was expanding into new neighborhoods and territories; food insecurity affecting millions; a healthcare system operating far below minimum standards; and an education system that had failed to deliver a full academic year in recent memory.
Yet Haiti also entered 2020 with genuine assets. A young, creative, and increasingly politically engaged population that had demonstrated its willingness to demand better. A diaspora that was more connected to the homeland than ever and increasingly capable of mobilizing resources and attention. A cultural life of extraordinary richness that persisted regardless of political conditions. And a history of overcoming catastrophes that would have destroyed less resilient societies.
The question for the new decade was whether Haiti’s political class could find the wisdom, courage, and competence to match the resilience of the Haitian people. The early signs were not encouraging, but the story was far from over.