PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) 鈥� For a factory worker in Haiti, the war in distant Iran means he now has to walk two hours to work and the same distance home each day, because he can no longer afford public transportation.
On a recent morning, Alexandre Joseph, 35, fretted about his family鈥檚 future in a loud voice, attracting the attention of passersby in Port-au-Prince, Haiti鈥檚 capital.
鈥淭he government raised the prices of gasoline, diesel and kerosene, hitting my family. I now am unable to feed my two children on the salary I have,鈥� he said.
The has caused oil prices in to surge, disrupting critical supply chains, doubling transportation costs and forcing millions of undernourished people to cut back on already scarce meals.
Haiti, the most impoverished country in the Western Hemisphere, has been hit the hardest by rising oil prices that experts warn will deepen .
鈥極ne of the most fragile countries in the world鈥�
On April 2, Haiti鈥檚 government announced a 37% increase in the cost of diesel and a 29% increase in the cost of gasoline.
鈥淭he consequences are huge,鈥� said Erwan Rumen, deputy country director for the United Nations World Food Program in Haiti. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the most fragile countries in the world.鈥�
Almost half of Haiti’s nearly 12 million inhabitants already face high levels of acute food insecurity. In recent months, Rumen noted, about 200,000 people dropped from the emergency phase to the acute one, a significant milestone.
鈥淲hat is a bit frightening is to see that so many efforts could be basically wiped out by things that are completely out of our control,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his part of the population is extremely fragile. They鈥檙e on the verge of collapsing completely.鈥�
Gang violence has exacerbated hunger, with armed men controlling key roads and disrupting the transportation of goods. An increase in food prices will only worsen hunger in a country where gangs easily recruit children whose families need food and money.
Emmline Toussaint, main coordinator of Mary鈥檚 Meals’ BND school-feeding program in Haiti, said that gas stations in some regions are selling fuel 25% to 30% higher than even what the government stipulated because of gang violence and difficulties with trucks trying to access certain areas.
She said the U.S.-based nonprofit is forced to use boats and take longer and multiple roads to feed the 196,000 children they serve across Haiti to avoid armed groups.
鈥淭he humanitarian crisis that we鈥檙e facing right now is at its worst,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o far, we are doing our best not to step back. Now, more than ever, the kids need us. 鈥� Most of them, it鈥檚 the only meal they receive.鈥�
鈥楨verything will go up鈥�
Fedline Jean-Pierre, a soft-spoken mother of a 7-year-old boy, sat under the shade of a tattered beach umbrella as she mulled increasing the prices of carrots, tomatoes and other produce she sells at an outdoor market in Port-au-Prince.
鈥淧eople are not buying now because they don鈥檛 have money,鈥� she said, noting she likely won鈥檛 have a choice but to increase prices to survive. 鈥淚 have a child to feed.鈥�
The 35-year-old mother said she and her son have lived for two years in a , among the record 1.4 million Haitians displaced by gang violence in recent years.
鈥淭he government doesn鈥檛 do anything for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淕as is up now, meaning everything will go up.鈥�
Street vendor Maxime Poulard buys charcoal from suppliers to resell at a higher price. Occasionally he sells two bags of charcoal a day, but he thinks he soon will only be able to afford to buy half a bag to resell.
鈥淭raveling is expensive; eating is expensive; everything is expensive,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure if I will be able to hold on much more.鈥�
Nearly 40% of Haitians are surviving on less than $2.15 a day, according to the World Bank. Meanwhile, Haiti鈥檚 economy contracted for the seventh consecutive year, with inflation reaching 32% at the end of fiscal year 2025.
Joseph, the factory worker, said he plans to sell soft drinks at night out of his home to try and earn more money, but even then, that won’t be enough: 鈥淲e鈥檙e also going to reduce the way we normally eat.鈥�
鈥業mpossible tradeoffs鈥�
On April 6, Haitians dragged burning tires and other debris to block streets and protest the increase in fuel prices in Port-au-Prince, of which an estimated 90% is controlled by gangs.
Local media reported gunfire as some Haitians forced the drivers of small colorful buses known as tap-taps to disembark their passengers.
Marc Jean-Louis, a 29-year-old tap-tap driver, said passengers are increasingly bartering fares, but he can’t afford to offer discounts.
鈥淎ll the money is going toward gas,鈥� he said as he called on the government to reduced prices 鈥渟o that everyone can breathe.鈥�
Haitians fear more violence as the country鈥檚 poverty and hunger deepens.
Rumen, with the U.N.鈥檚 World Food Program, said they鈥檝e been unable to reach 60,000 people in Haiti鈥檚 central region who are awaiting aid. A powerful gang , killing more than 70 people, according to the U.N.
鈥淲e’re going to have more needs and less resources,鈥� he warned.
Allen Joseph, program manager for Mercy Corps in Haiti, said rising oil prices are crushing the country鈥檚 fragile economy: 鈥淭he families already spending most of their income on food will face impossible tradeoffs.鈥�
He warned the increase will affect access to basic services, including potable water.
鈥淭his is not an abstract inflation,鈥� he warned. 鈥淚t will directly impact survival.鈥�
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Coto reported from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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