Since Dessalines’s death, Haiti’s ruling elite have acted as gangsters in suits. August 7 could seal the country’s fate unless the people rise.
Politics | The Haitian Pulse | July 11, 2025
Haiti’s crisis runs deeper than any surface divisions; it is rooted in class. The nation has long been held hostage by a powerful elite minority at the expense of the struggling masses. Since the assassination of Emperor Jean-Jacques Dessalines in 1806, a small ruling class—primarily mulatto families—positioned themselves as the ultimate power brokers. Over time, another layer of elite emerged: roughly 13 families of Syrian and Lebanese descent (the so-called Siro-Libanais), who consolidated control over key industries and entrenched their influence in Haiti’s economic and political life.
If Haiti once had a middle class, that class effectively ceased to exist after Jean-Claude Duvalier (Baby Doc) was ousted in 1986. Since then, the gap between the elite and the masses has widened into an abyss, leaving no buffer, no stabilizing force to challenge the extremes of Haiti’s economic hierarchy.
This is not merely an elite class; it is a cartel. They control every major sector of Haiti’s economy—banking, imports, energy, telecommunications, food distribution, and construction. They do not simply dominate these industries; they guard them fiercely, ensuring that no outsiders can enter. They make all the money, but the issue is not their wealth—it’s what they do with it.
These elites never involve themselves directly in politics. Instead, they maintain a slave-master relationship with Haiti’s political class. Politicians are not there to serve the country; they exist to serve their masters’ wishes. This dynamic has created a state where power flows from the shadows, and public offices are reduced to tools of compliance.
Gangsters in Suits
In Haiti, the so-called “elite” have more in common with gang leaders than with legitimate business builders. With their monopolies, they control not only commerce but politics. They dictate policy, manipulate governments, and maintain a stranglehold over national resources. These individuals act as pirates, plundering Haiti while offering nothing in return. They are the architects of misery.
There are rare exceptions—businesspeople who have built enterprises that contribute to the country’s economy and provide real employment. But they are too few to make a meaningful impact. Against the backdrop of this entrenched system, even their successes are swallowed by the elite’s overwhelming dominance.
The Looming August 7 Crisis
Now, with the corrupt CPT government in place, Haiti stands on the brink of total collapse. By August 7, the gangsterized elites will consolidate complete economic and political control. On that date, Laurent Saint-Cyr, the private sector representative on the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT), is set to assume the rotating presidency. For a population already suffering under the weight of insecurity, the future will become even darker.
If this system is not dismantled, Haiti’s descent will accelerate. The people will lose what little autonomy remains, and generations to come will inherit a nation that no longer belongs to them.
A Nation Held Hostage
This is about power and greed. These elites, sitting atop decades of exploitation, have built a Haiti where progress is impossible by design. They have weaponized poverty and hopelessness, using deprivation as a tool to maintain dominance.
Their wealth funds political campaigns, buys foreign protection, and silences dissent. They do not fear elections or protests because they control the levers of power behind the scenes. The gangs roaming Port-au-Prince may carry guns, but the true gangsters wear suits and control bank accounts.
The People Must Rise
Haitians cannot wait for international salvation. The same powers that prop up these elites will never dismantle them. The Haitian people must rise to wipe out this corrupt system. It will not be easy. The elite’s networks run deep, and they will fight to maintain their privileges.
But if the people fail to act, the consequences will be catastrophic. This is a fight for Haiti’s survival.
A Call for Accountability
It is time to name names, expose networks, and demand justice. Those who hoard wealth while the nation starves must be held accountable. Those who block competition, stifle innovation, and manipulate politics must face the wrath of a people betrayed.
This is not merely a political battle—it is a moral one. The elite have proven they will not change willingly. They must be forced to relinquish their chokehold on the country.
Why August 7 Matters
August 7 is not just another date on the calendar. It is the moment when the CPT’s mandate, propped up by elite interests, risks solidifying Haiti’s transformation into a full-blown plutocracy. With Laurent Saint-Cyr’s term as rotating president beginning that day, the gangsterized system will gain a new figurehead from the same entrenched networks. The nation is already bleeding. After August 7, it may flatline.
The people of Haiti must recognize this turning point. It is time to reject the distractions, the manufactured divisions, and the false promises. The true enemy is clear: a system built on greed, corruption, and betrayal.
The Haitian Pulse delivers fearless, diasporic perspectives that challenge corruption, expose opportunism, and amplify voices too often silenced. Our reporting bridges Haiti to its global diaspora, connecting local struggles to universal calls for justice and progress. Every story we publish is rooted in integrity and an unwavering commitment to a better future for Haiti and its people.
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