Haiti raises fuel prices amid global tensions, warns against artificial shortages

PORT-AU-PRINCE — The Haitian government sharply increased fuel prices Tuesday, citing global oil market disruptions linked to tensions involving the United States, Israel and Iran, while warning against what officials describe as recurring attempts to create artificial shortages.

Under the new pricing structure, gasoline now costs 725 gourdes (about $5.58) per gallon, diesel 850 gourdes ($6.54) and kerosene 845 gourdes ($6.50). The increases, which take effect April 2, represent hikes of roughly 30% for gasoline, 38% for diesel and kerosene compared with previous prices.

The decision follows days of panic buying and long lines at gas stations across Port-au-Prince and certain provinces, fueled by rumors of shortages and anticipated price hikes.

Authorities say the price adjustments were reviewed by a newly established nine-member advisory council tasked with overseeing fuel pricing and improving transparency in the sector.

Installed March 29, the council includes representatives from the government, transport unions and fuel distributors. Officials say it will monitor pricing mechanisms based on import costs, taxes, logistics and distributor margins.

“The mission is to ensure transparency and stability in a volatile international market,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

The move comes as global oil markets react to disruptions in the Middle East. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has warned that tensions affecting the Strait of Hormuz — which handles about 20% of global oil flows — have tightened supply and pushed crude prices above $100 per barrel.

No shortage, officials say — but skepticism persists

Despite visible queues at gas stations, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry maintains that fuel remains available.

“These operations have confirmed the actual availability of fuel at gas stations, contrary to persistent rumors of a supposed shortage,” the ministry said after inspections in several areas, including Delmas and Tabarre.

Officials warned that anyone involved in hoarding or illicit resale would face sanctions.

Yet reports from local media and residents suggest uneven distribution. Some stations have limited gasoline sales or temporarily stopped serving customers, intensifying fears.

Recurring pattern of speculation and black market activity

Fuel crises in Haiti are often driven as much by speculation as by supply constraints.

Industry sources say rumors of shortages frequently trigger panic buying, allowing some distributors and resellers to divert fuel to the black market, where it is sold at significantly higher prices.

A fuel station supervisor, speaking anonymously to avoid repercussions, said supplies remain available at the Varreux terminal — the country’s main storage site in the Haitian capital— but that some operators may be withholding stock.

“Inspectors found stations that were fully supplied but claimed they had no fuel,” he said. “The goal is to resell later at higher prices.”

Such practices have been documented repeatedly in Haiti, where weak regulation and political instability have allowed informal fuel markets to flourish, especially during periods of crisis.

Consumers brace for impact as fear drives demand

For many Haitians, the latest price hike — among the steepest in recent years — is expected to ripple through the broader economy, increasing transportation and food costs.

Before the increase, gasoline sold for about 560 gourdes ($4.31), diesel for 620 gourdes ($4.77) and kerosene for 615 gourdes ($4.73).

Trade unions, including the National Union of Haitian Teachers and Educators (UNNOEH) and the Autonomous Center of Haitian Workers (CTAH), have criticized the government’s decision, arguing that it places an additional burden on households already struggling with inflation and insecurity.

They also noted that fuel prices in Haiti rarely decline once increased, even when global prices stabilize.

On the streets of Port-au-Prince, many residents say they are acting out of caution rather than confidence in official assurances.

A motorcycle taxi driver in Delmas, who preferred to remain unnamed for security reasons, said he has started storing fuel whenever he can.

“When lines start forming, it becomes difficult to find gas at the normal price,” he said. “You have to prepare.”

That mindset — shaped by years of supply disruptions and market manipulation — continues to drive demand, even as authorities insist there is no shortage.

The latest developments put a fragile system under pressure, many say. The situation highlights the fragility of Haiti’s fuel supply chain, where global shocks, domestic instability and market speculation intersect.

While the government frames the price hike as a necessary response to anticipate international conditions, the persistence of rumors, long lines and black market activity underscores a deeper lack of trust — one that continues to define Haiti’s energy sector.

Frantz Duval, a senior journalist and editor-in-chief of Le Nouvelliste, said that the government would bear significant responsibility for the negative effects of the fuel panic buying on Haitians.

“The shortage that didn’t exist on Friday was caused by the Haitian State,” Duval said in a post on X. “Haiti, which hadn’t experienced panic buying of fuel since the start of the United States–Israel–Iran war, now finds itself in a mini crisis.”

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