Jovenel Moïse’s presidency marked a dangerous shift from Haiti’s already shaky democracy to overt authoritarianism. Delayed elections, unchecked abuse of executive power, and violent suppression of resistance became the norm. By the time of his assassination in 2021, Moïse had thoroughly hollowed out the country’s fragile democratic institutions. His death created a power vacuum now filled intermittently by gang members and unelected officials. Haiti has not returned to any semblance of democratic normalcy or delivered basic rights and protections to its people.

Processes of democratic erosion did not destroy a previously prosperous democracy but rather scraped away at a broken system. More than half of Haiti’s population has lived below the poverty line for decades. After Haiti declared its independence in 1804, France forced the new nation to pay reparations for “lost property,” forcing Haiti into decades of crippling debt. The 1825 Franco-Haitian Agreement cemented France’s economic control over the island, locking Haiti in an economic standstill, incapable of participating in global trade patterns.

The U.S. occupied Haiti between 1915 and 1934, installing puppet regimes, centralizing the military, and suppressing pushback from the public. During the occupation, more than 15,000 Haitians lost their lives in resistance efforts. Even after the United States withdrew from the Caribbean shores, Haiti was left grappling with the long-term consequences of foreign intervention.

A succession of unstable governments, including a twenty-nine-year rule of corruption under François Duvalier and his son, Jean-Claude, left a legacy of corruption and human rights concerns, with an estimated 30,000 people dead or missing. Through public pressures, Jean-Claude fled, but the democratic institutions that followed were twice overturned by coups, prompting further U.S. military interventions. International aid came with strings attached, propping up corrupt leaders with little concern for the people’s interests and democratic legitimacy. The cycle of foreign interference and authoritarianism complicated Haiti’s already weak democracy, further eroded under Moïse’s presidency.

Haiti’s democracy has long been hollow, pieced together by corrupt elites who rarely upheld the rule of law or fostered true democratic participation. Moïse’s rise to power initially seemed promising, but it quickly faltered. While democratic erosion typically refers to the decline of a functioning democracy, Haiti exemplifies how a deeply flawed system can deteriorate into despair. His disregard for term limits, embrace of violence, and weakening of institutions exacerbated government unraveling.

Two centuries after becoming the world’s first Black republic, Haiti remains battered by the legacy of colonialism, foreign intervention, and mismanagement of power. What once was one of the most prosperous colonies in the Americas is now one of the poorest nations in the Western Hemisphere. Leadership vacuums, assassinations, gang violence, and extreme poverty after the devastating earthquake in 2010 killed over 300,000 people have only deepened the fragility of the state.

The Rise of Jovenel Moïse.

Moïse rose to power, surrounded by controversy.. He was implicated in a multimillion-dollar embezzlement scheme involving Venezuelan aid, with funds allocated for infrastructure and poverty relief into his own companies. Despite this accusation, Moïse painted himself as a successful businessman from rural Haiti and had backing from former president Michel Martelly, allowing for a smooth voter popularity transition. 

The election itself reflected signs of backsliding. The voter turnout was alarmingly low, estimated at 25-30%, while the government’s own party monitors inflated the turnout to 50%. Widespread ballot stuffing, confiscation of voter credentials, and other forms of voter suppression tactics were reported across the country, clouding his legitimacy. In true democratic erosion fashion, Moïse’s government disputed critics of the electoral process as enemies of the state. Threats to vertical accountability mechanisms left uncertainty, impermanence, and constraints on government powers.

Moïse began to systematically weaken democratic institutions through the polarization of parties, and by allowing for political violence. His supporters responded to public resistance to Moïse through violence, sparking a path of intimidation, government instability, and lack of control over public proceedings. The idea that power could be transferred peacefully was out of the question.

Moïse maintained power through alliances with gang leaders, most notably Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, a former police officer turned gang leader. In 2018, the La Saline massacre, which killed at least 71 civilians, involved coordinated attacks using police officers, gang members, and government resources obtained from senior officials of Moïse. The violence served both: Chérizier gained territorial control, and Moïse squashed opposition through fear and violence. Without functioning horizontal accountability, government institutions blatantly failed to check executive powers and diligently punished abuse of power.

Though he denied being a dictator, Moïse leaned into authoritarian tactics as he refused to step down from power in light of mass public protests. Moïse continued consolidating power when he dissolved the parliament in 2020 and insisted on staying in office past his term limit. Haiti’s Superior Council of the Judiciary ruled his term was over, but Moïse refused to step down from office. This delegitimized the Constitution and dismantled other political institutions’ attempts to check executive power, which sparked outrage and protests. As his popularity plunged, his authoritarian grip tightened.

The Aftermath: Haiti in Freefall.

In the wake of Moïse’s assassination, there was no clear direction forward. Competing political figures and non-governmental actors declared themselves leaders to fill the gaping power vacuum. The political unrest sent Haiti into a deep crisis of legitimacy. The country has been in a state of limbo, lacking a functioning government capable of upholding the rule of law.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Haiti’s failure to reestablish democratic order has fueled a surge of gang activity, gender violence, and displacement of people. There is no line between criminal activity and politics. Additionally, the strain of natural disasters, disease, and mismanagement of humanitarian relief efforts has impacted the economy. Tourism has dwindled, and Haiti was left with public debt totaling $5 billion, or 30 percent of its GDP, in 2021. The upheaval of government officials and unregulated gang violence has further stressed the country’s economy. 

A Cautionary Collapse.

Jovenel Moïse did not break a thriving democracy but rather shattered an already fragmented system from centuries of exploitation, foreign intervention, and corruption. Haiti’s fragile political institutions lack the legitimacy and public trust to support a true democracy. But under Moïse’s rule, these cracks widen into deep pits of despair.

By dismantling horizontal accountability, condoning gang violence, disbanding parliament, and refusing to acknowledge term limits, Moïse transformed into an authoritarian. He exploited weak institutions to gain power. Since Moïse’s assassination, Haiti has spiraled into a deeper crisis. There was no foundation for democracy in a state without legitimate leaders to fight off unruly gangs and manipulated elections. A cautionary tale remains of not a democracy lost but how a weak democracy can be further dismantled when power is abused.

Haiti’s future depends on rebuilding institutions capable of upholding democracy. Without a stern commitment to accountability, justice, and the people’s voice, the fallout of Moïse will remain an open wound, waiting for the next actor to use and abuse the broken system.