Notes

A series of violent events. On May 23, an armed gang attacked a U.S. Christian missionary group in Haiti, where the state has mostly stopped functioning, killing the group’s Haitian director and a married American missionary couple. Gangs now mostly run the country, having gradually taken control since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. That was in July 2021. A month later, Laurent Dubois explored the political dynamics that led up to the assassination. As Dubois sees it, the government has often lacked legitimacy in Haiti, mainly for having often represented outside interests—notably American interests. In the next few days, about 2,500 Kenyan police officers are expected to arrive in Haiti to try to restore order. Dubois explains the historical background to that challenge.