Crisis in Haiti: Bitter Fruit of Imperialist Exploitation & Capitalism

Haiti has become engulfed in an unprecedented crisis of deadly gang violence over the last several weeks. Political gangs vying for control of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, have effectively laid siege to the city, storming prisons, seizing control of the port, torching shops and buildings, destroying hospitals, and taking over the main international airport. The United Nations estimates that eighty percent of Port-au-Prince is now under gang control, pointing towards a veritable collapse of society. 

Over 300,000 Haitians have been forced to flee their homes, and thousands have become victims of indiscriminate violence at the hands of the armed gangs. Over 1,500 people have been killed since just the start of this year, and morgues have been overflowing with bodies. Hospitals are flooded with countless patients with gunshot wounds, many of them civilians hit in gang crossfire. Harrowing reports of kidnappings, gang rapes, and homes being burned add to the picture of a nation in the throes of a deep-rooted crisis.

To help us understand the roots and historical context of this crisis, why it should matter to American working and young people, how it relates to the other crises internationally under capitalism, and what strategy is needed to end the crisis in Haiti, we have two special guests today. Toya Chester is a rank-and-file member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Eric Jenkins is an educator in the Philadelphia Public School district, and is a member of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. Both Eric and Toya are among the leaders of the Black Caucus of Socialist Alternative.

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