The Daily

Why Haiti Asked for an Intervention

Dec 8, 2022

Natalie Kitroeff, the New York Times Bureau chief for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, shares her on-the-ground insights from Haiti. She discusses the escalating gang violence that has led to widespread displacement and a humanitarian crisis. Kitroeff delves into the power dynamics following the assassination of Haiti's former president and the government's urgent call for international armed intervention amid a cholera outbreak. Her vivid accounts highlight the desperation of Haitians caught in this chaos, as well as the complex interplay between local needs and foreign responses.

31:40

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Episode guests

Natalie Kitroeff

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Episode notes

Intro

6min

Haiti's Chaos: Gangs and Governance After Assassination

7min

The Stranglehold of Gangs in Haiti

3min

Cholera Crisis in Haiti: A Call for International Aid

13min

The Urgency of Support Amidst Chaos in Haiti

2min

Political Turmoil: Germany and Peru

4min

This episode contains descriptions of distressing scenes.

Haiti is unraveling. Gangs control much of the capital, thousands have been displaced and hundreds more are dead.

In recent weeks, the government has taken the extraordinary step of asking for an armed intervention from abroad.

What is it like on the ground, and what does the request mean for Haitians?

Guest: Natalie Kitroeff, the bureau chief for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean for The New York Times.

Background reading:

With unchecked gang violence rocking its capital and a cholera outbreak spreading, Haiti’s government has called for an international armed intervention to stabilize the country.
Fearing a mass exodus, some Biden administration officials have pressed for a multinational force, but they don’t want to send U.S. troops and haven’t been able to persuade other countries to take the lead.

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