Petrochallengers, du mur à la rue: La production alternative de l’information en Haïti

The research paper examines the 'Petrochallengers' movement in Haiti, which began in August 2018 following a viral tweet by filmmaker Gilbert Mirambeau asking "kot kòb Petrokaribe ?" (Where is the PetroCaribe money?). The author argues that the movement represents a shift in political engagement, where youth—previously marginalized from the political process—used digital platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to organize a leaderless, horizontal structure. This digital mobilization extended transnationally, engaging the Haitian diaspora in protests in cities such as Paris. While the author acknowledges the power of the internet in creating a 'subaltern counter-public,' they emphasize that the movement was also a response to systemic economic crises, including fuel price hikes and currency depreciation, rather than being a purely technological product.

• The Petrochallengers movement was triggered by a viral social media campaign started on August 14, 2018, by filmmaker Gilbert Mirambeau, focusing on the management of PetroCaribe funds, which are estimated at over 3 billion euros provided by Venezuela since 2008.
• The movement is characterized by a horizontal, leaderless structure that rejects formal hierarchies and designated spokespeople, allowing any participant to act as a representative of the cause.
• Digital tools enabled the emergence of a 'subaltern counter-public' of youth who were previously excluded from Haiti's political sphere, allowing them to bypass traditional media to organize and voice their demands.
• The movement achieved transnational reach, mobilizing the Haitian diaspora to hold protests in countries such as Canada, the United States, and France, including specific demonstrations in Paris on October 14 and later at the Haitian Consulate in Paris.
• The author asserts that the movement was not solely a product of technology but was the culmination of severe socio-economic distress, including the depreciation of the gourde, high cost of living, and fuel price increases starting in July 2018.
• There is a tension between the original goals of the youth—seeking explanations for fund management—and the efforts of traditional politicians to co-opt the movement to demand the removal of President Jovenel Moïse.

APA

wacc_kn (2019). Petrochallengers, du mur à la rue: La production alternative de l’information en Haïti. World Association for Christian Communication. https://waccglobal.org/petrochallengers-du-mur-a-la-rue-la-production-alternative-de-linformation-en-haiti/

Chicago

wacc_kn. Petrochallengers, du mur à la rue: La production alternative de l’information en Haïti. World Association for Christian Communication, 2019. https://waccglobal.org/petrochallengers-du-mur-a-la-rue-la-production-alternative-de-linformation-en-haiti/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=wacc_kn |title=Petrochallengers, du mur à la rue: La production alternative de l’information en Haïti |publisher=World Association for Christian Communication |date=11 August 2019 |url=https://waccglobal.org/petrochallengers-du-mur-a-la-rue-la-production-alternative-de-linformation-en-haiti/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wacckn2019petrochallengers, author = {wacc\_kn}, title = {{Petrochallengers, du mur à la rue: La production alternative de l’information en Haïti}}, institution = {World Association for Christian Communication}, year = {2019}, month = aug, url = {https://waccglobal.org/petrochallengers-du-mur-a-la-rue-la-production-alternative-de-linformation-en-haiti/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }