Are renewed gang clashes at an oil terminal testing Haiti's path to elections?

On 10 August, shots reached oil tankers at Haiti’s Varreaux oil terminal, the country's main oil supply, as part of renewed clashes between the Wharf Jérémie and Belekou gang in Cité Soleil.  

Sandra Pellegrini, Latin America and the Caribbean Senior Analyst at ACLED, said: 

“The shots were fired as part of renewed hostilities between the Wharf Jérémie and the Belekou gangs. Fighting between the two flared up in June, when Belekou reportedly opened fire on Wharf Jérémie residents celebrating Haiti’s World Cup match. The clashes that followed killed at least 30 and displaced over 5,000 people. 

“The recent clash is part of a broader intensification in gang-on-gang clashes in 2026, with conflicts erupting more particularly in northern areas of Port-au-Prince, such as Plaine du Cul-de-Sac. Between January and July 2026, ACLED records at least 424 fatalities in gang clashes, nearly double the levels recorded for 2025 in its entirety. This contrasts with the 2025 decline in fatalities compared with the previous year, which can be attributed to the consolidation of the Viv Ansanm alliance formed in September 2023. Since its onset, the alliance has been surprisingly resilient, with gangs setting aside long-held disputes to respond to security operations and secure their revenue streams. However, the emergence of internecine gang conflict exposes the alliance’s lack of a centralized command structure and its reliance on opportunistic agreements and old territorial divisions rather than a long-lasting truce. 

“Past gangs’ incursions targeting the Varreux oil terminal have shown that violence near the site can lead to shortages in fuel supplies, and in turn, severely affect Haiti’s wider supply chains, the functioning of hospitals, and deepen humanitarian needs. For the gangs, exploiting this vulnerability allows them to exert pressure on authorities. 

“As such, the latest outbreak of violence will serve as a litmus test for Haiti’s security forces, including the newly operational Gang Suppression Force (GSF). The clashes come days after a new police station was established in Varreux and GSF personnel have been deployed in Cité Soleil. Protecting critical infrastructure such as the Varreaux terminal will be a key prerequisite for maintaining overall security and containing gang interference ahead of the elections scheduled for 13 December.”