Port-au-Prince – The arrival of the new year has not yet brought any improvement to the serious humanitarian crisis affecting the population of the Caribbean island.
According to Doctors Without Borders in Haiti, there has been a significant increase in admissions to Drouillard Hospital in Port-au-Prince due to violence-related causes. Between December 29, 2025, and January 12, 2026, 101 patients injured by acts of violence were hospitalized in 15 days, including 66 with gunshot wounds. The number of gunshot wounds recorded in these first few weeks far exceeds the monthly average of 54 hospital admissions in Drouillard during 2015. Of these patients, 30% were women and 9% were children under 15.
Since last December, Haiti’s capital has been the scene of increased clashes between the Haitian National Police and armed groups, primarily in densely populated neighborhoods under their control. For thousands of civilians, daily life is marked by gunfire and drone attacks, which leave many people trapped in areas controlled by armed groups.
In this tragic context, several smaller-scale events have affected the lives of the mountain community of Pourcine Pic-Makaya. Father Massimo Miraglio, MI, told Fides upon his return from Jérémie, where he had stopped to plan further support for the Pourcine community, where he is the parish priest.
“I returned to our parish, dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, with some tarpaulins destined for about fifty homes damaged by Hurricane Melissa . Upon arriving at the parish, accompanied by a hygiene worker from an NGO, we visited the school to give the students a short personal hygiene lesson. That same day, a community meeting elected the new Committee responsible for the aqueduct, for which we have begun cleaning and maintenance work. Finally, in the following days, the students enjoyed a morning of sports at the parish school, which has reopened after the Christmas break, and we will soon begin preparations for Flag Day, which will be celebrated on May 18,” concludes the Camillian missionary.
The precariousness and violence throughout the civil context have led the Bishop of Anse-à-Veau and Miragoâne and Vice President of the Haitian Episcopal Conference, Pierre-André Dumas, to withdraw from a national mediation process aimed at preventing political instability before the end of the Presidential Transitional Council’s term, scheduled for February 7, 2026. On January 14, the prelate had announced his withdrawal, citing misinformation, misinterpretations, and manipulation related to his involvement in the process. In a letter sent to Laurent Saint-Cyr, the CPT’s pro tempore president and coordinator, Dumas confirmed that, at the request of various national civil society and political organizations, as well as international entities, he had agreed to conduct mediation “with seriousness and conscience” in an attempt to prevent potential chaos at the end of the Council’s term.
In a statement released on January 16 by the Caribbean National Weekly, it was noted that the bishop emphasized that he never personally offered himself as a mediator. He expressed his gratitude to those who placed their trust in him and reiterated that he is not affiliated with any political organization, describing his role solely as that of a pastor. Reflecting on his own experience, Dumas recalled the injuries he suffered in an explosion on Sunday, February 19, 2025, at the residence where he was staying during his time in Port-au-Prince, describing them as a reminder of the scars Haiti has endured due to internal divisions and violence. He affirmed that, just as he recovered through faith, he believes Haiti will “rise again.” The prelate concluded by reiterating his willingness to support Haiti through prayer and moral encouragement, invoking respect for Haitian sovereignty and urging citizens to choose “life, responsibility, and hope.”
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