Illegally supplied U.S. weapons are the accelerant in Haitian violence [Video]

Most Americans are troubled by deadly products entering our country. But sadly, America is the source of deadly products for Haiti. The Hill reports that the gangs who have overrun Haiti are armed mostly by illegal American-made weapons, ”including .50 caliber sniper rifles, semi-automatic AR-15 rifles,” and handguns.

Combined with Haiti’s porous borders and weak government control, the illicit flows have hindered the Biden administration’s efforts to address the problem.

According to The Hill, gangs controlling “about 90% of Port-au-Prince” now “outgun the Haitian National Police.” As many as 200 gangs are fighting about 9,000 police. Describing the situation as “cataclysmic,” a new U.N. human rights report says over 4,400 people died in Haiti from gang violence last year, with more than 1,500 deaths already this year. The report detailed how gangs continue to maintain a “reliable” supply chain for weapons and ammunition. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said, “It is shocking that despite the horrific situation on the ground, …