Fear, everywhere, and so few solutions.
The American army announced this Sunday that it had carried out an operation in Haiti to transport by plane the non-essential personnel of the United States embassy, whose security has been reinforced, while the Caribbean country, among the most fragile in the world, descending into chaos.
“This airlift of personnel in and out of the embassy is consistent with our usual practices in strengthening embassy security around the world, and no Haitians were on board the military aircraft,” said the US Army Southern Command in a statement.
Heavy shooting in broad daylight
Since February 29, armed bands coordinated to threaten the government with violence, and Prime Minister Ariel Henry went to Kenya to seek - in vain for the moment - an agreement for an international force to come and fight against gangs, the situation seems to be getting worse day by day.
On Saturday, police and presidential palace guards attempted to retake some streets in Port-au-Prince around one of three downtown train stations.
Sporadic shooting continued throughout the day and one woman was injured by a stray bullet.
Also read: Haiti in a state of emergency: “The gangs have sowed terror everywhere”, the daily life of residents on a “paralyzed” island
The day before, heavy shooting had already been observed near the national palace of Haiti, in the capital Port-au-Prince, according to information from the EFE news agency.
The gangs “came with big guns.
We have no weapons and we cannot defend ourselves.
All of us children are suffering,” one man told The Associated Press.
Thursday, while the Haitian government extended the state of security emergency by one month, until April 3, Caribbean Port Services SA, the operator of the capital's port, announced that it was suspending its activity due to " disturbances to public order”, citing “malicious acts of sabotage and vandalism” suffered since March 1.
Dozens of containers filled with food and medical supplies are stuck at a time when U.N. officials say half of the country's more than 11 million people don't have enough to eat, and 1.4 million people are dying of hunger.
Disputed Prime Minister still blocked outside Haiti
Caricom, the 15-nation Caribbean bloc, said in a statement Friday evening that “the situation on the ground remains dire.”
She announces an emergency meeting on Monday in Jamaica, to which the United States, France, Canada, Brazil and the UN are also invited.
There is no indication that Ariel Henry will be able to travel to Jamaica.
The latest news was that the Prime Minister was still in Puerto Rico, where he was forced to go on Tuesday.
The Dominican Republic, the only country bordering Haiti, where terrible racism against Haitians has been rampant for decades, refused to let him land on its soil, initially citing a flight plan problem before recognizing that his arrival was not appropriate, and that the border between the two countries was strictly closed.
In a statement, the office of Dominican President Luis Abinader describes the security situation in Haiti as "totally unsustainable" and affirms that it "poses a direct threat to the security and stability of the Dominican Republic."
VIDEO.
“Barbecue”, the gang leader who terrorizes Haiti, is a former police officer
Responding to images of violence in Haiti on the social network
United Nations Security Council resolution and money were needed.
He does not name the Haitian Prime Minister in his message.
We can fix it.
But we'll need a UNSC resolution, the consent of the host country, and all the mission expenses to be covered.
https://t.co/GPqMVo7MTN
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) March 10, 2024
A 74-year-old neurosurgeon who worked in the south of France, Ariel Henry was appointed Prime Minister, with the support of the international community, shortly after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
Despite growing demands from the population, he rejected the idea of holding elections until the country was safe.
Last year, more than 8,400 people were killed, injured or kidnapped, more than double the number reported in 2022. In February, according to Caricom, the head of government promised them to hold elections in mid -2025.
The gang assault began the next day.