Haiti: Authorities Return to Downtown Port-au-Prince Streets

Long deserted due to insecurity, iconic areas like the Champ-de-Mars have, this Thursday, September 25, 2025, seen the presence of the country's highest authorities again. Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, accompanied by presidential advisor Leslie Voltaire, walked through the capital's downtown to observe the progress of reconquest operations led by the State against armed groups.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, this visit is part of a broad offensive aimed at restoring order and returning public spaces to citizens. For several weeks, the Haitian National Police (PNH), supported by various state institutions, has been conducting coordinated actions to reclaim neighborhoods long occupied by gangs. More than 2,500 m³ of waste and 500 vehicle carcasses have already been removed, while rehabilitation work is underway to make roads passable and restore essential infrastructure.

At the heart of the Champ-de-Mars, the National Palace illustrates the fragility of the situation. A symbol of the Haitian State, this building, where the Presidential Council should normally sit, has remained deserted for over a year after suffering several armed attacks. Only the vigilance of agents assigned to its protection still prevents it from falling into the hands of criminals. All around, numerous public or strategic buildings share the same fate: the State University Hospital of Haiti, the country's largest hospital center, the National Penitentiary, markets, transport stations, private businesses, and even ministries remain abandoned, victims of persistent insecurity.

Determined to enable a return to normal life, the government affirms that the capital will not be abandoned. « The State is standing. Together, we will reclaim Port-au-Prince and restore to every citizen the right to live in peace and dignity, » declared the Prime Minister, promising that operations will continue until security is fully restored.

This presence in the heart of the city, once impassable, sends a strong signal to the population: despite the threats, the State intends to reclaim every street, every square, and restore Port-au-Prince's center to its role as the engine of national life.

Is this an initiative that will allow elections to be organized? Will law enforcement implement strategies for consolidating the reclaimed areas?

The editorial team