Haiti’s government officially announced a three-month state of emergency for its central region on Saturday, as gang violence continues to surge and destabilize the country. The measure will specifically cover Haiti’s West, Artibonite, and Center departments to address both security and a growing agricultural and food crisis.
This region, known as Haiti’s crucial rice basket, has been under a sustained attack by gangs who kill farmers and force them to abandon their fields. The United Nations’ human rights office noted that from October 2024 to June 2025, over 1,000 people were killed and 620 kidnapped in the central departments.
According to the United Nations, gang violence has displaced over 239,000 people, leading dozens to swim across the country’s largest river to escape. The government appointed a new interim director general for the National Police, which works with Kenyan officers leading a U.N.-backed mission.
André Jonas Vladimir Paraison replaces former police director Normil Rameau, who was widely criticized for his struggle to contain the surging gang violence. Rameau had repeatedly warned about the National Police department’s severe underfunding, while gangs control up to 90% of Port-au-Prince.
Paraison previously served as head of security of Haiti’s National Palace and was on duty when former President Jovenel Moïse was killed in 2021. These changes come as wealthy businessman Laurent Saint-Cyr assumes the presidency of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, which will oversee new elections.