After a horrific earthquake in 2010, in which more than 200,000 people lost their lives and tens of thousands of buildings were destroyed, many countries and organizations responded with generous aid and teams of rescue and medical workers. A United Nations peacekeeping mission set up in 2004 provided a modicum of stability, but it was also blamed for bringing cholera to Haiti, and dozens of its peacekeepers were involved in sexual abuse scandals. The last of the United Nations peacekeepers recently departed, contributing to the current lawlessness.

In the present crisis, protesters have accused the United States of standing by Mr. Moïse, who curried favor with the Trump administration by turning against Haiti’s former patron in Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, the leftist president the administration is trying to oust. In fact, the American “support” has consisted solely of limp calls for “dialogue.” Haiti has been on the receiving end of Donald Trump’s ill will, which has been focused in migrants and the movement of drugs, most notably when he said in 2018, among other crude things: “Why do we need more Haitians? Take them out.”

It is clear from the current meltdown that Haiti needs more than another election or a “dialogue” among elected leaders to tinker with malfunctioning institutions. Some followers of the crisis have argued for a concerted effort by the international community to restart a functioning system. Some Haitians believe that the future requires the convening of a council of elected officials and civil and business leaders to stop the continuing deterioration of the rule of law.

What is clear is that something has to change, and the country needs outside help. The question is where to begin. The Trump administration is not in the business of helping poor countries unless there is some sort of reciprocal deal. The current spasm of destructive demonstrations does not seem capable of bringing real change.

Yet it is demonstrably in the interest of the United States and the rest of the Western Hemisphere to help their poorest neighbor get back on its feet. There must be enough expertise and imagination available in Haiti and among international and nongovernmental organizations to formulate a plan and to help form a coalition government, and there must be long-term international assistance to get them going.