Haiti's Power Struggle: Residents Protest Gangs by Storming Dam

Residents of Mirebalais stormed a hydroelectric plant, causing a blackout in Port-au-Prince, to protest against government inaction over gang violence. Despite promises from interim Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, gang violence has escalated, displacing 1.3 million people in six months. U.N.-backed security efforts have yet to resolve the crisis.

Mirebalais residents have plunged Port-au-Prince into darkness by forcibly taking control of a dam, protesting government inaction on gang violence. The move highlights escalating tensions, as worsening crime has displaced 1.3 million Haitians in the past half-year.

This is the second such incident in recent months. In May, interim Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime assured citizens a similar situation would be prevented. However, government efforts have faltered, leaving citizens frustrated as gangs continue to gain control.

Attempts to stabilize Haiti, including a Kenya-led U.N. security mission, have not advanced significantly, prompting world leaders to recommend converting it into a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Colombia have considered troop deployment via the Organization of American States.

(With inputs from agencies.)