Haiti is collapsing. Gangs now control most of Port-au-Prince, and the international response is failing. Can anything stop the takeover? In this gripping episode of The Stimpack Podcast, Jeff Frazier sits down with Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown, a top expert in insurgency and organized crime from the Brookings Institution, to break down the current crisis in Haiti. Together, they explore how armed gangs like Viva Ensemble have outmaneuvered the Haitian government and the internationally funded MSSM force—and why so many conventional strategies, like high-value targeting, are likely to fail. They also discuss how Haiti’s elite once puppeteered the gangs, and how that dynamic has now reversed, leading to bold attacks in upscale neighborhoods and fears of a full-scale collapse. This is a must-listen if you want to understand the power struggle, the humanitarian cost, and what could happen next if the world continues to look away. 🎙 About the Guest Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and one of the world’s leading experts on conflict zones, organized crime, and counterinsurgency. With a PhD in political science from MIT and an undergraduate degree from Harvard, she has spent decades in the field, interviewing armed actors, insurgents, and civilians across places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Mexico—and now Haiti. Her work influences top decision-makers around the globe.

⏱️ Timestamps

 00:00 – Introduction: Vanda Felbab-Brown joins the show 01:58 – Vanda’s background: from communist Czechoslovakia to Harvard & MIT 04:36 – Why she’s drawn to war zones and underdog causes 08:00 – How she gathers intel: interviews, fieldwork, and analysis 11:34 – A breakdown of Haiti’s armed actors: gangs, militias, police 14:20 – Why the MSSM is failing 16:06 – Can high-value targeting work? (Spoiler: probably not) 21:00 – The rise of Viva Ensemble: unity among deadly rivals 26:00 – Attacks in the hills: gangs encroach on elite neighborhoods 31:00 – Daily life in Port-au-Prince: famine, collapse, no escape 32:39 – What solutions remain—if any 37:52 – The reemergence of gang-political bargains 42:31 – Why Haiti matters to the world 📝 Show Notes This conversation offers one of the most thorough, real-time assessments of Haiti's gang crisis available today. Dr. Vanda Felbab-Brown explains why the MSSM mission, even at full strength, is unlikely to contain the growing power of gang coalitions like Viva Ensemble. She outlines how gang leaders have evolved—becoming more politically strategic, militarily capable, and economically self-sufficient. We also explore: The failures of decapitation strategies (targeting gang leaders) How corruption, sanctions, and foreign disengagement accelerated the crisis Why drone strikes may be more symbolic than effective The surprising parallels with other conflict zones like Afghanistan and Mexico What could happen if no outside force intervenes—and what happens if the wrong one does Jeff and Vanda dive deep into the systemic collapse of governance, and the daily realities of hunger, displacement, and fear for millions of Haitians. If you're trying to understand Haiti not as a headline, but as a living, breathing crisis—this episode is essential.

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