A Country Without Capable Guardian: Unveiling the Roots, Ramifications and Remedies of Gun Smuggling in Haiti

• In Event: Tracking the Trade: Gun Trafficking, Markets, and Regulatory Gaps

Abstract

Haiti, a Caribbean nation, currently lacks a functioning government or leadership, leaving it under the control of heavily armed gangs that exploit the population, turning the country into a failed state. It is now grappling with multiple challenges, including ensuring fundamental human rights and fair justice for its citizens, while posing a serious threat to national security and regional stability. This paper explores the root causes and consequences of gun smuggling in Haiti and highlights the roles of neighboring Caribbean countries and the USA. It proposes strategic interventions to address this emergent issue through the lens of Routine Activity Theory. Through historical, socio-economic, political, and empirical analysis, this research reveals the complexities surrounding gun smuggling in Haiti and its broader transnational impact. It evaluates how Haiti’s history of colonization, dictatorship, and natural disasters weakened governance and economic structures, creating fertile ground for the proliferation of illicit firearms. The paper investigates the link between gun smuggling from the USA and the rise of gangs, violence, and Haiti’s current crisis. It also examines how Haitian gangs exploit lax U.S. gun laws to obtain firearms, fueling violence and illegal migration, and emphasizes the need for bilateral collaboration to combat smuggling and trafficking effectively.

Author

• Md Harun Or Rashid, Florida International University