2026-01-17

Previous gang operational pauses in Haiti have typically lasted 7 to 14 days maximum before violence resumed, making the current 41-day pause unprecedented in duration and suggesting fundamentally different strategic calculations by gang coalitions. The December 2024 violence January 17, 2026 pause coincided with international pressure for CPT departure and civil society mobilization, indicating gangs time operational decisions to maximize leverage during political inflection points rather than pursuing continuous violence strategies that could unite opposition against them.