Haitians have little to cheer about at the best of times - but a fortnight ago, the inhabitants of the capital Port-au-Prince erupted on to the streets in celebration.
Haiti, one of the poorest nations in the world, is in catastrophic crisis. The capital, Port-au-Prince, has been taken over by gangs and much of the central state and economic life has ceased to function.
COMMENT: Once the place to be for celebrity royalty like Elizabeth Talor and Mick Jagger, the one-time paradise is now Hell on Earth for its inhabitants. Kim Sengupta explains what made this beautiful island nation decend into kidnappings and gang violence