Poverty and inequality
For much of its history, Haiti has been a noticeably divided society on the basis of economics. Colonial-era antecedents, as well as the post-US occupation politics of the 1940s and 50s, have stacked an oligarchic minority against poor majority.
When Haitians go to the streets, therefore, bread and butter issues are always on the table. One in three persons in the country requires emergency food assistance.
As one protester told The Guardian, “We’re fighting against a system where we can’t eat and we don’t get paid. That’s why we’ve taken to the streets.”
