When the Haitian people say enough, not even the walls of Jericho will stand in their way.
Opinion | The Haitian Pulse Editorial Team | July 4, 2025
The United Nations has once again appointed a new special representative to Haiti. Mexican diplomat Carlos Ruiz Massieu, formerly head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, will replace Ecuador’s Maria Isabel Salvador as the head of BINUH (United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti). This change comes amid plans to downsize BINUH’s presence in Haiti due to worsening insecurity.
The announcement lands with a thud in the hearts of many Haitians. Not because they hold out hope for this latest UN figurehead to succeed where so many others have failed, but because they have seen this movie before—and they know how it ends.
“Established in 2019, BINUH was not designed, nor does it have adequate evacuation and security assets to operate in such a hostile environment,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres admitted in a letter to the Security Council.
That much is clear. Haiti’s conflict has intensified, with powerful, heavily armed gangs displacing nearly 1.3 million people and expanding into new territories despite efforts from the Haitian National Police and a partially deployed UN-backed multinational force. Even BINUH itself is struggling to maintain a presence, operating with minimal staff in-country and relying on a single helicopter for evacuations.
Intervention Fatigue
Haitians are tired. Tired of UN missions that come and go, each promising stability and leaving behind deeper scars. From MINUSTAH’s infamous legacy of cholera and human rights abuses to BINUH’s toothless monitoring role, these interventions have failed to bring meaningful change. The Haitian people are no longer under the illusion that salvation will arrive from abroad.
BINUH’s work includes advising the Haitian government, monitoring gang violence, and tracking human rights abuses. But how effective can an office be when most of its staff operate remotely from abroad, too afraid to remain in Port-au-Prince? The UN’s inability to secure even its own personnel is a stark indictment of its capacity to influence Haiti’s reality.
The Haitian Path Forward
What the Haitian people understand—perhaps more deeply than the international community ever will—is that Haiti’s destiny lies in Haitian hands. True leadership will not come from diplomats rotating in and out of Port-au-Prince but from a unified people willing to reclaim their country. What should happen in Haiti will happen—not through foreign mandates, but through the will of its citizens.
“The Haitian people are a unique breed. When they say enough, not even the walls of Jericho will be able to stand in their path.”
This is not bravado. It is a statement of historical fact. From the revolution that birthed the first Black republic to every uprising since, Haitians have shown the world what happens when a people decide to be free.
A Moment of Reckoning
As BINUH shrinks and global attention wanes, Haitians are left with a choice: wait for another failed intervention or rise from within. History suggests they will not wait forever.
If the international community cannot provide meaningful support, it should at least have the humility to step aside and let Haitians chart their own course. The world must prepare for what happens when Haiti’s long-suffering population declares, once again, that they have had enough.
Final Thought
For too long, Haiti has been treated as a project for others to manage. That era is ending. The Haitian people are tired, but they are not broken. And when they finally move to reclaim their nation, the world will have no choice but to stand back and watch.
The Haitian Pulse delivers unfiltered, unapologetic commentary rooted in Haiti’s struggles and triumphs. We write for those who refuse to accept silence as the price of survival. Sign up for updates and leave your thoughts in the comments below—because your voice matters.
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