Haiti: 1.5 million displaced and 1,600 people killed in three months

Haiti's humanitarian and security crisis continues unabated. According to the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Representative for Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, about 1.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes because of gang violence. In addition, at least 1,600 people have been killed over the past three months.In an interview with Infobae, the UN envoy said that criminal groups, whose membership is estimated at between 10,000 and 15,000, exert influence or control over roughly 70 to 75 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Ruiz Massieu reiterated that, despite the UN Security Council's backing for the international security support mission, coordinated action on security, justice, and development will be needed to restore stability to the country.

Haiti has been facing an unprecedented crisis since at least the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. Since then, armed gangs have steadily expanded their control, bringing institutions, infrastructure, and essential services to a standstill.

According to the World Bank, Haiti's economy contracted for the seventh consecutive year in 2025, with real GDP falling by 2.7% and average inflation rising to 28.3%. Nearly half of the population lives in extreme poverty, surviving on less than three euros a day.

The outlook for 2026 remains highly uncertain. The International Monetary Fund forecasts a further 1.7% contraction in the economy, while inflation, although expected to ease slightly, is projected to remain around 23.5%.