Popular Anger in Mirebalais: Haiti Again on the Brink of a General Blackout
By Wideberlin SENEXANT · Port-au-Prince · · 2 min read · Updated 24 April 2026
Translated from French — AI-assisted and reviewed by the editorial team. The French version is authoritative. Read the original · About our translation policy
The security crisis is intensifying in the Central region of the country despite government commitments. In Mirebalais, clashes between police and armed gangs are multiplying. In Péligre, on June 17, angry residents stormed the hydroelectric plant, interrupting the power supply to Port-au-Prince after a heavy vehicle of the Haitian National Police was set on fire by bandits. Haiti is now threatened by a general blackout.
The Central region has once again been shaken by a series of violent events with potentially devastating consequences. In Mirebalais, intense clashes pitted law enforcement against armed groups in a context of increasing tension. Several armed individuals were neutralized during the operations, as the Haitian National Police (PNH) attempts to regain control of areas occupied by gangs.
Barricades of stone walls, burning tires, deserted streets: Mirebalais today presents the face of a city under siege.
In this asymmetric struggle, residents tried to support law enforcement. A heavy artisanal vehicle, nicknamed « Bèk kare » [in memory of a young brigadier killed, Editor's note] manufactured thanks to the community's economic contributions to clear roads, was used in the operations. But after a breakdown, the vehicle was set on fire by armed individuals, as shown in several videos shared on social media. The event caused a wave of frustration and indignation among local residents. In a climate of extreme tension, following the fire, a group of angry citizens headed towards the Péligre hydroelectric plant — a crucial infrastructure for the capital's electricity supply. They invaded the plant and brought down an electrical pylon connecting Port-au-Prince, causing an immediate power outage in several areas. This gesture of protest reflects the exasperation of a population abandoned in the face of rising insecurity. The risk of a widespread blackout now hangs over the country, with serious consequences for hospitals, schools, businesses, and households already heavily affected by the economic crisis. A first outage had already plunged several neighborhoods into darkness in recent days. Despite promises from authorities, calling for patience to allow power to be restored, distrust persists. The population of the Central region demands immediate and tangible actions to restore security, restart basic public services, and confront the gangs that have held Mirebalais in their grip since March 31, 2025. Will there be another long period without electricity? Will the central government finally keep its promises? While awaiting clear answers, all eyes remain on Mirebalais, a symbol of a country teetering between hope for recovery and total collapse.
In this asymmetric struggle, residents tried to support law enforcement. A heavy artisanal vehicle, nicknamed « Bèk kare » [in memory of a young brigadier killed, Editor's note] manufactured thanks to the community's economic contributions to clear roads, was used in the operations. But after a breakdown, the vehicle was set on fire by armed individuals, as shown in several videos shared on social media. The event caused a wave of frustration and indignation among local residents. In a climate of extreme tension, following the fire, a group of angry citizens headed towards the Péligre hydroelectric plant — a crucial infrastructure for the capital's electricity supply. They invaded the plant and brought down an electrical pylon connecting Port-au-Prince, causing an immediate power outage in several areas. This gesture of protest reflects the exasperation of a population abandoned in the face of rising insecurity. The risk of a widespread blackout now hangs over the country, with serious consequences for hospitals, schools, businesses, and households already heavily affected by the economic crisis. A first outage had already plunged several neighborhoods into darkness in recent days. Despite promises from authorities, calling for patience to allow power to be restored, distrust persists. The population of the Central region demands immediate and tangible actions to restore security, restart basic public services, and confront the gangs that have held Mirebalais in their grip since March 31, 2025. Will there be another long period without electricity? Will the central government finally keep its promises? While awaiting clear answers, all eyes remain on Mirebalais, a symbol of a country teetering between hope for recovery and total collapse.
