Political Unrest in Haiti in the Years Since President’s Assassination

Haiti is in a state of pandemonium and turmoil. The Caribbean nation has a long history of corruption, poverty, and natural disaster. Things went from bad to worse in July 2021 after President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by a group of 28 men. Although it is still unclear who hired the killers and why, there are clues that point to a group of Colombian mercenaries, a U.S.-based security company, as well as various opponents of Moïse in the country.

led to a cholera outbreak. Sources say that nearly half of the country’s population is going hungry.

To escape the horror and unrest, thousands of Haitians have fled their country in varying ways. There have been stories of sailboats smuggling hundreds of refugees into other Caribbean Islands and even going as far as Florida. Some of these journeys take up to eight days, all inside a claustrophobia-inducing cabin, with little food or water. Unfortunately, the American government alone had deported roughly 25,000 refugees back to Haiti in the year since the assassination, with some saying that the return means “certain death.”

The situation today is strenuous with no apparent end in sight. Gangs have completely overrun the country, and innocent families are being massacred and kidnapped on a weekly basis. Inthe week of March 20, a couple from Florida flew to Haiti to visit family and celebrate a festival. On the ride from the airport, their bus was intercepted by a group of thugs that abducted all of the occupants. The couple is currently being held for ransom, and the kidnappers are asking for $200,000 US per person.

Hansen, from London, Ontario, was announced to be a part of the Artemis II crew on the morning of April 3.

“For me, it’s a bit unreal still,” said Hansen in an interview with the CBC. “I just want Canadians to feel that pride. I just want Canadians to realize, hey, we are up to big things here in Canada and can accomplish the seemingly impossible if we believe in ourselves.”

Hansen was one of four CSA astronauts vying for the position on the Artemis II mission. The CSA was awarded the spot on the team because of Canada’s contributions to the proposed Lunar Gateway space station and the nation’s development of a new lunar rover.

—NASA

NASA said in a statement that the decision to include a CSA astronaut was to demonstrate its commitment to “international partnerships through the Artemis program.”

Hansen will be one of four aboard the Artemis II mission. He joins Americans Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch. Glover will be the first person of colour to fly a lunar mission, and Koch will be the first woman.

Ariel Henry has since served as the acting president of Haiti, but in reality, the country is mostly controlled by violent gangs. The UN has declared the situation a humanitarian crisis and estimates that over 530 people have been killed since the start of 2023. Kidnapping, sexual violence, and mass shootings are at an all-time high. Numerous schools and hospitals have been closed. There is limited access to healthcare and essential services, including water, food, sanitation, and supply services, which has

It is evident that the solution to this crisis does not lie inside Haiti. It is up to the international community to step in and protect the well-being of Haitians. Canada and the U.S. have imposed sanctions on individuals who they feel are fuelling these rampant gangs. The UN has expressed much concern over the events of recent years, yet has done almost nothing to offer support.

The Artemis II mission builds upon the work of Artemis I. The Artemis I mission was flown in late 2022 and was a 25-day trip around the moon’s orbit. While the Artemis II astronauts will not be landing on the surface, the goal of the mission is to “test and stress” the life support systems onboard the Orion craft and serves as a step in the “path to establishing a long-term scientific and human presence on the lunar surface.” It is anticipated that Artemis III will return humans to the moon’s surface.

Artemis II promises to be the launching point for even more ambitious space-faring endeavours. “We will collaborate with commercial and international partners and establish the first long-term presence on the Moon,” reads NASA’s website about the Artemis program. “Then, we will use what we learn on and around the Moon to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars.”