Challenging the single-story narrative: A discussion with Widlore Mérancourt about intergenerational journalism in Haiti

Photo Collage by Emily Paris, Photo Editor

Mateo Jarquín, director of the masters program in war, diplomacy and society, led a conversation on Feb. 6 with Haitian journalist Widlore Mérancourt about Haiti’s painful legacy of foreign intervention, the dominance of gangs and Mérancourt’s role in reshaping the country’s narrative. 

Mérancourt is the editor-in-chief of AyiboPost, an independent Haitian Creole-French-English news organization as well as a regularly featured writer for The Washington Post. He began his career in media at the age of 15 in radio and afterwards television before transitioning to news. 

Growing up, Mérancourt said there was a lack of representation of people from the countryside and impoverished backgrounds in Haitian media, inspiring him to pursue journalism. 

“My interest is in telling my own story,” he said. 

In his conversation with Jarquín, Mérancourt told details of his “hectic” journey from Haiti to the United States, and the challenges of avoiding the main routes of travel that are completely controlled by gangs. In Haiti, gang activity impacts airports, buses are fired upon and civilians are killed or held at ransom. Between 80% and 85% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, is controlled by gangs. 

“Everywhere you go in Port-au-Prince, you will be subjected and impacted by gangs,” said Mérancourt.   

He said in a country where gangs function as the government, justice is limited; but even under previous corrupt regimes, it was hard to find.

“The gangs created a parody of justice,” he said. “The rule of law never existed.” 

He described houses being burned down, a country with nearly half its population suffering from food insecurity, hospitals not operating and gated communities. 

“Gates are all over the place,” Mérancourt said. “These gates are ripping apart social structure.” 

Part of Mérancourt’s journey here illuminated a lively city just four hours from the capital. People dancing and playing in the streets. A life outside of gang violence. Mérancourt criticized the negligent and oversimplified reporting on Haiti, arguing that it distorts the public’s perception and harms the Haitian people. 

“Goes to show when we talk about Haiti in the Western media, it is usually about Port-au-Prince,” said Mérancourt. “Irresponsible journalism contributes to the violence.” 

The issue of irresponsible journalism is not merely the creation of a single story that reduces Haiti and its people to violence and corruption, but also its role in reinforcing gang dominance. According to Mérancourt many journalists provide violent gang leaders with alcohol, cigarettes, money and a large dangerous platform that amplifies their dangerous rhetoric and misinformation. 

Mérancourt specifically cited an instance of coverage of the notorious gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, known as "Babekyou," that portrays the gang leader as a unifying figure that convinces Haiti’s gangs to stop fighting each other to focus on fighting the government — a characterization Mérancourt describes as a dangerous falsehood.

Mérancourt said that whenever journalists fail to report complexities, it discredits the voices of those who fight against oppression and their resilience. 

“Time and time again I would not see myself (in the media),” he said. “Local news matters.” 

He said his goal with his news organization is to report on topics that mainstream and international media are not willing to. Mérancourt said that he believes reporting is not just about covering violence, corruption or gangs, but about understanding its impact on civilians and the immediate local news that directly impacts them. 

Mérancourt said that understanding Haiti’s current situation requires a knowledge of its history and foreign intervention. 

The country's economy was built on slavery under French colonial rule, and after gaining independence in 1804, Haiti was forced to pay France for the loss of enslaved people as property. This burdened the nation with a double debt to France. According to The New York Times, Haiti has paid $560 million in today’s dollars to France over 64 years due to this debt. 

The U.S. also played a large role in Haitian politics and corruption by invading and occupying the country from 1915 to 1934. 

According to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Organization (GAO), from 2018 to 2022, 73% of Caribbean firearms came from the U.S. This report was conducted after some Caribbean islands including Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, recorded high rates of violence, including homicide.

These guns are used for drug and human trafficking and contribute to the ongoing violence and gang occupation in Haiti. 

Mérancourt emphasized that since Haiti gained independence, the nation has never been truly free due to constant foreign interference. 

“We are still living in the wake of this history, and if we don’t deal with it we can’t move forward,” Mérancourt said.