Arrests in Haiti’s 2021 presidential killing expose entrenched foreign mercenary networks, weak state institutions, and historic external interference
Original framing: “More than a dozen arrested in connection with 2021 assassination of Haitian president” — The Guardian - World
The 2021 killing is part of a continuum of foreign‑backed interventions dating back to the 1915 U.S. occupation, the Duvalier regimes’ reliance on foreign training, and the 1991 coup, each eroding state capacity and normalising external violence. Recognising these patterns reveals how present crises are rooted in historic power asymmetries.
The arrests in the Moïse case lay bare a historic continuum of foreign‑engineered violence that thrives on Haiti’s weakened institutions and global mercenary markets.
By integrating indigenous security traditions, enforcing regional bans on private military actors, and rebuilding judicial capacity, the nation can reclaim sovereignty over its safety. Inclusive, community‑driven security models, supported by transparent economic reconstruction, address both the immediate threat of hired violence and the deeper socioeconomic drivers. Together, these pathways confront the colonial legacy, empower marginalised voices, and chart a resilient future grounded in Haiti’s own cultural and historical strengths.