Sanctions for 'Gang Violence' Mask a Century of Western Plunder in Haiti
📰 THE STORY: Bloomberg reports that Switzerland has joined the European Union in imposing sanctions on Haiti, purportedly to combat 'gang violence.' The sanctions are framed as a response to the current instability plaguing the Caribbean nation. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: Haiti's 'gang violence' is not an organic phenomenon. In 1825, France demanded 150 million francs
(reduced to 90 million) – a sum equivalent to $21 billion today – as 'reparations' for slave property after Haiti declared independence. This debt crippled Haiti for over a century, paid off only in 1947. Then, from 1915 to 1934, the U.S. militarily occupied Haiti, seizing customs houses, rewriting the constitution to allow foreign land ownership, and suppressing dissent brutally. More recently,
in 2004, the U.S., Canada, and France orchestrated the a coup d'état that ousted democratically elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, leading to a UN 'peacekeeping' mission that introduced cholera and further destabilized the country by disarming legitimate security forces while leaving criminals free to arm themselves. The current 'gangs' are often ex-police, paramilitaries, or proxies armed
and cultivated by various political factions, many with foreign backing, to maintain chaos and prevent effective governance. Double Standard: Western nations rarely impose sanctions on themselves or their allies for creating the conditions that breed such instability. For example, the U.S. and Europe continue to arm and fund Saudi Arabia, whose intervention in Yemen has led to millions facing