Gangs Pose a Threat to Political Transition in Haiti

At first glance, the gangs ravaging Haiti are excluded from the political transition to be implemented in this small, impoverished Caribbean nation. However, due to their firepower, they risk exerting de facto influence on the new political landscape, according to experts. "Will they accept the new power equation? Or will they attempt to sabotage it in any way? We do not yet know," says Ivan Briscoe, who heads the Latin America program at the International Crisis Group. However, he notes that in recent years, "these gangs have become very