Haiti Declares State of Emergency – In a harrowing turn of events, the Haitian government declared a state of emergency and imposed a nighttime curfew following a weekend marred by violence. Armed gang members coordinated attacks on the country’s two largest prisons, resulting in a mass jailbreak that saw thousands of inmates escaping. The government immediately implemented a 72-hour state of emergency to apprehend those responsible and restore order to the streets.
The Directive
Finance Minister Patrick Boivert, acting as the prime minister in Ariel Henry’s absence, issued a statement, directing the police to employ all legal means to enforce the curfew and capture offenders. This drastic move comes as Haiti faces a new low in its ongoing spiral of violence, with embattled Prime Minister Ariel Henry seeking international support for a UN-backed security force to stabilize the nation.
The catalyst for this eruption of chaos began on Thursday as gangs intensified their coordinated attacks in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Henry, grappling with internal turmoil, is abroad attempting to garner backing for a UN-backed security initiative. Notably, Jimmy Chérizier (known as Barbecue), a former elite police officer turned gang leader, claimed responsibility for the surge in attacks. Barbecue outlined a goal to capture Haiti’s police chief and government ministers, aiming to thwart Henry’s return.
Since Thursday, at least nine people lost their lives, including four police officers. Targets of violence included police stations, the international airport, and even the national soccer stadium, where an employee was held hostage for hours.
Prison Break
Reports suggest that an overwhelming majority of inmates, estimated at around 4,000, escaped during the prison break at the National Penitentiary. This facility, designed for 700 prisoners but holding 3,687 as of February last year, now stands eerily empty, with abandoned personal belongings scattered across the concrete patio. Authorities found three bodies with gunshot wounds at the prison entrance. Additionally, a second Port-au-Prince prison housing approximately 1,400 inmates suffered a similar fate.
In another disturbing scene, residents discovered the lifeless bodies of two men with bound hands in a neighborhood as they navigated roadblocks set up with burning tires. The scale of the jailbreak has left the exact number of escapees unclear, but Arnel Remy, a human rights attorney working within the National Penitentiary, suggested that fewer than 100 of the nearly 4,000 inmates remained incarcerated.
Assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse
Disturbingly, a local journalist cited by the BBC indicated that the vast majority of the approximately 4,000 men held at the National Penitentiary had successfully fled. Even more chilling is the fact that among those who chose to remain were 18 former Colombian soldiers accused of involvement in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. These individuals, detained for their alleged roles as mercenaries, released a desperate video plea for their lives amid the chaos.
“Please, please help us,” Francisco Uribe, one of the detained Colombians, implored in the widely shared video. “They are massacring people indiscriminately inside the cells.”
Violence on Saturday night extended beyond the prison walls, with multiple neighborhoods reporting gunfire. Adding to the chaos, internet services for many residents were disrupted, as Haiti’s primary mobile network reported a severed fiber optic cable during the rampage. Fortunately, field teams managed to fully restore the connection on Sunday afternoon.
Gangs Attacked
In less than two weeks, gangs attacked several state institutions. The gangs, demonstrating increased coordination, targeted once-unthinkable locations such as the Central Bank. This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive and coordinated response to address the root causes of Haiti’s deepening crisis.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of this unprecedented series of events, international attention and support become crucial in restoring stability and preventing further escalation of violence. The people of Haiti are facing not only a security crisis but also a humanitarian one, demanding urgent and concerted efforts to address the underlying issues plaguing the nation.
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