“When leaders refuse to act, they are no longer leaders—they are collaborators in the destruction of their own country.”
Politics | The Haitian Pulse Editorial Team | July 8, 2025
The destruction of Haiti’s Grand Hôtel Oloffson is not just a tragic headline; it’s a symbol of the country’s rapid descent into cultural and political collapse. As gangs from the Viv Ansanm coalition set fire to one of Haiti’s most iconic landmarks, the Haitian government remained silent, powerless—or perhaps, complicit.
This isn’t just about a hotel. It’s about a nation whose history, heritage, and dignity are under siege while its so-called leaders and the international community look the other way.
Haiti’s Gingerbread Heritage: A Masterpiece Under Attack
In the late 19th century, Haitian architects trained in Paris returned home to create a style of architecture uniquely suited to the Caribbean climate. Known as gingerbread houses, these ornate buildings—with their steep roofs, wrap-around verandas, and intricate woodwork—were not just beautiful, but remarkably resilient.
The Hôtel Oloffson, built in this style, became a cultural beacon. Once a private mansion, it was transformed into a hotel in 1935 and quickly became the “Greenwich Village of the Tropics.” Writers like Graham Greene, artists like Katherine Dunham, and musicians from around the world flocked to its verandas.
For decades, it stood as a symbol of Haiti’s creative spirit and resilience. Until, on July 6, 2025, flames consumed it, leaving only charred wood and ash.
State Failure on Full Display
Yes, gangs lit the match—but the deeper question is: who allowed this to happen?
The CPT government—a committee of political opportunists masquerading as leaders—has failed to secure even the capital. Their hollow declarations of “improved security” insult a population living under the daily threat of kidnappings, murders, and now, cultural annihilation.
Haiti’s leaders have abandoned their people. They’ve left its heritage unguarded, its streets unprotected, and its soul exposed to those who would see it destroyed.
A government that does nothing while its citizens and history are burned to the ground is not neutral—it is complicit.
The International Hypocrisy
And where is the international community?
The same United Nations that stationed troops in Haiti for years now evacuates its personnel by helicopter. The same foreign powers that once dictated Haiti’s political future now claim impotence in the face of gang violence.
This isn’t ignorance. It’s indifference. The destruction of Haiti’s cultural and historical treasures benefits those who prefer to see Haiti stripped of its pride, its beauty, and its sense of self.
Could this be part of a larger design? A weakened, fragmented Haiti is easier to control, easier to exploit, easier to erase from the global conscience.
Who Benefits From Haiti’s Collapse?
The gangs who torched the Oloffson certainly benefit from chaos. But are they acting alone? Or are there invisible hands—both foreign and domestic—that stand to gain from Haiti’s disintegration?
A people disconnected from their past are easier to dominate. When culture is destroyed, so is identity.
“Burning down the Oloffson wasn’t just about territory. It was about sending a message: Haiti has no history, no pride, no future. It’s up to us to prove them wrong.”
The Haitian Pulse Speaks
At The Haitian Pulse, we refuse to be silent.
Haiti’s heritage is under attack—not only by gangs but by decades of corrupt governance and international betrayal. We cannot afford to wait for foreign saviors. Haitians must rise—at home and in the diaspora—to reclaim their history and their future.
The loss of the Hôtel Oloffson is a wound, but it can also be a rallying cry. The question is not whether Haiti will rise again. The question is: will we wait until there’s nothing left to save?
“If Haiti’s leaders will not protect her, then the people must. Heritage that is not defended will be erased forever. A country that forgets its past has no foundation for the future.”
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