The news in Haiti continues to go from bad to worst. The socio-economic situation is getting worst. While Haiti seems, so far, to have been spared from the worts of Covid-19, the economy continues its free fall. Inflation is above 20% and GDP growth is projected to be in negative territory at least until 2022.
Despite the country's many challenges, at its core the main challenge remains that of a corrupt and inept government.
The past few months, the Moise administration, which survived weeks of protests with the support of the international community, is taking steps to consolidate its power ahead of expected elections. Without a parliament and a weak judicial branch, the President is ruling by decree and taking steps to reestablish authoritarian rule over the country . In sum, a decried President who is ruling with an unconstitutional government that is publishing decrees in which they assert that said decrees override existing laws that were voted by parliament are clear signs of authoritarian/dictatorial rule.
Let me expand on my rationale.
I think if you look at the literature on the rise of authoritarian rules and dictatorships, the strategy includes those governments' ability to "establish their own rules, including persuasion and coercion; personal characteristics; ideology and policies; the use of force and propaganda." This is textbook stuff and in that light the arrow is clearly pointing in the direction of an authoritarian rule in Haiti.
The President’s advisors studied from the same books and an observer can see how the tactics are playbook approaches of this very well-documented strategy. Here are a couple of ways in which this is done.
To start, the govt. creates its boogeymen and break the laws to attack said boogeymen. Of course, no one comes to the defense of the "bad guys" because they they are getting what they deserve. This tactic allows the govt. to use state powers to crush its enemies and silence civil society. Whether it is the electricity producers or the fuel importers, most people in civil society would not defend them because they are the "bad guys" who deserve what they are getting.
Next, the govt. disregards the growing insecurity and indeed creates an environment of impunity by disinvesting in the the police and judicial system. They it goes on to align itself with gang members, who they use to raze poor neighborhoods and commit unspeakable atrocities including mass murders. As a result of the environment of insecurity, when they go to Bel-Air, La Saline, Pont Rouge, or Shadda II which are areas that are supposedly opposition strongholds, it serves their electoral purposes. As they commit these crimes, civil society stays silent because it believes that these areas are full bandits and the cause of country's insecurity. However, the reports from human rights orgs. as well as the UN and even DCPJ have documented the direct implication of the government in human rights violations and massacres.
All the signs are there but to summarize I will highlight a few recent acts that standout. The govt. has:
- circumvented existing laws to confront and destroy their own effigies
- overrode existing rules and illegally use state funds to pay Dermalog
- imposed an unconstitutional new national ID cards
- published decrees that override existing laws
- used of gangs to consolidate political power and control
- attempted to modify the constitution on its own
- limited (violently) the right to peaceful assembly
I believe in a liberal democracy and Haiti is clearly and unambiguously moving away from that system of government. As we move further and further away from a liberal system we move closer and closer to what I see as the emergence of an authoritarian state and eventual dictatorship.
