Research & Analysis
U.S. Institute of Peace’s articles, reports, tools and other features provide policy analysis, research findings, and practitioner guides. These publications examine critical conflict issues at the center of the Institute’s work to prevent and resolve violent conflict.
The views expressed in these publications are those of the author(s).
How to Break Gangs’ Grip on Haiti
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, Haiti has spiraled into chaos, with gangs tightening their grip on nearly every aspect of daily life. Once a fragile but functioning state, the country now finds its capital, Port-au-Prince, almost entirely controlled by gangs — and their influence is spreading. A new U.N. report warns that the situation is more dire than ever, as armed groups extend their control into new territories, displacing communities and deepening the country’s humanitarian crisis. As of January over one million people are displaced, the majority of them children, major roads are impassable, and “5.4 million Haitians – nearly half the population – do not have enough to eat.”
Mary Speck on China’s Search for Inroads into Central America
China has ramped up its engagement in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador so that it can “operate in the United States’ backyard,” says USIP’s Mary Speck. However, China “likes to give showy gifts, but hasn’t really invested” in what the region needs to address governance issues, economic instability and organized crime.
Venezuelans' Voting Dilemma: Participate or Abstain?
When it comes to Venezuela, all eyes of late have been focused on the Trump administration’s deliberations over sustaining or selectively lifting sanctions. The decision will have a major impact on Venezuela’s ability to produce and sell oil. Beyond that, the administration’s moves on sanctions will serve as a key signal of its Venezuela policy and whether Washington will return to a policy of maximum pressure or take a more accommodating approach.
La Seguridad de EE. UU. en las Américas Pasa por El Salvador, Guatemala y Honduras
Los tres países más septentrionales de Centroamérica —Guatemala, El Salvador y Honduras— se encuentran entre los más pequeños y pobres del hemisferio occidental. Aunque a menudo pasados por alto, su ubicación en el punto de conexión entre América del Norte y del Sur los hace peligrosos de ignorar. La inestabilidad política y económica en esta región estratégicamente ubicada puede repercutir en toda América.
U.S. Security in the Americas Flows Through El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras
The three northernmost countries of Central America — Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras — are among the smallest and poorest in the Western Hemisphere. Though often overlooked, their location at the nexus of North and South America also makes them dangerous to ignore. Political and economic turmoil in this strategically located region can reverberate throughout the Americas.
El Arte de un Acuerdo para Venezuela
A medida que la crisis venezolana se prolonga y se perfila otro año frustrante de esperanzas frustradas y hambre, surge la pregunta de si existe un enfoque más efectivo. El país lleva 20 años estancado mientras los regímenes de Chávez y luego de Maduro han intentado aferrarse al poder frente a una oposición que ha buscado desplazarlos, en su mayoría —aunque no siempre— por medios pacíficos.
The Art of a Deal for Venezuela
As the Venezuelan crisis grinds on into what is expected to be another frustrating year of dashed hopes and empty bellies, the question of whether there is another approach that would be more effective looms. The country has been stuck for 20 years as the Chavez and subsequent Maduro regimes struggled to hold on to power against an opposition that has sought to displace them, largely — but not always — through peaceful means.
À quoi ressemble le succès de la politique américaine en Haïti?
Début 2025, Haïti est toujours en proie à une crise nationale multiforme qui a pratiquement démantelé sa gouvernance politique, sa sécurité et sa stabilité économique. Cette situation désastreuse est avant tout une source de frustration pour les Haïtiens eux-mêmes.
What Does U.S. Policy Success Look Like in Haiti?
As of early 2025, Haiti is still suffering from a multifaceted national crisis that has all but dismantled the country’s political governance, security and economic stability. This dismal result is frustrating, most certainly for Haitian themselves.
Ki Sa Siksè Politik Etazini ta Dwe Sanble an Ayiti?
Apati kòmansman ane 2025 lan, Ayiti toujou ap soufri ak yon kriz nasyonal ki gen plizyè aspè ki prèske kraze gouvènans politik, sekirite ak estabilite ekonomik peyi a. Rezilta dezagreyab sa a fwistran, sètènman pou Ayisyen yo.