2 hours agoArtibonite: Ponsonde Road Remains Blocked
On Sunday, October 5, 2025, National Road #1 was paralyzed at Ponsonde in Lower Artibonite after residents refused police orders to lift barricades. The situation worsened after Timepri — a police-aligned coalition leader accused by locals of operating a roadside toll — asked the population to reopen the road. Residents of Ponsonde rejected the demand outright; heavy gunfire was reported in the area.
Locals say the blockade targets Timepri’s alleged toll scheme and is not in his interest to maintain; they accuse police of ignoring the terror sown by gangs in the department. Despite appeals from authorities, barricades remain. Members of Fwon Rezistans Raboto Gonaïves say similar actions have occurred elsewhere in Artibonite and warn that, absent concrete state action against gangs, they will escalate to a complete suspension of government activity across Lower Artibonite until the gangs are eliminated.