Bas-Artibonite, December 4, 2025.- One « apparent calm » Over the last few hours in Lower Artibonite, following the announced withdrawal of the men of gang leader Lucson Élan at Pont-Sondé. That's what Bertide Horace said, invited to the panel Magik show on Thursday, December 4, 2025, while reporting a heavy human impact and the persistence of insecure households in some localities.
According to Ms. Horace, no confrontation was reported at the time of her intervention between law enforcement and armed groups in the area concerned. This respite would follow an announcement by Lucson Élan ordering the withdrawal of his men from Pont-Sondé. However, she stressed the precarious nature of this lull, in a context where gangs retain operational capacity.
Regarding the recent attacks, Bertide Horace referred to a provisional record of fourteen deaths in Lower Artibonite. This figure does not include the situation in La Poterie, where the presence of bandits was still reported on the evening of Wednesday, December 3, 2025, raising concerns about a possible deterioration of the security situation.
Addressing the social impacts of armed violence, Ms. Horace also revealed that several young women in the Artibonite department would be forced to maintain emotional relationships with members of self-defence groups or police officers, in the hope of ensuring their safety or preserving their property in the face of gang abuses.
It also asked the authorities about the national security strategy, regretting that the use of suicide bomber drones is mainly concentrated in Port-au-Prince, while armed groups are expanding their influence in areas such as Artibonite. According to her, this disparity leaves the department in a situation of increased vulnerability.
This lull observed in Lower Artibonite remains fragile and underscores the urgency of a more balanced and appropriate security response throughout the country.
W.A.
