The United States State Department has initiated a charter flight operation to evacuate American citizens from Haiti amidst escalating gang violence and worsening hunger in the country.
Authorities in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, are currently engaged in efforts to reclaim territories controlled by the infamous gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, also known by the moniker “Barbecue”. Chérizier’s stronghold is primarily in the Delmas neighborhood, where police forces are actively seeking his arrest.
During a recent operation, Lionel Lazarre, a police spokesperson, reported that the police had neutralized several individuals associated with the gangs on Saturday. The operation began on Friday evening when police units made their way into the neighborhood.
Further actions by the police included engaging with members of Barbecue’s gang, dismantling numerous roadblocks, and confiscating firearms. According to a report by AFP news agency, another significant operation was undertaken on Saturday aimed at retaking the main port of the capital, which has been closed since March 7 due to the escalating violence.
The prevailing situation has left the local population in a state of heightened danger and instability, prompting various embassies and consulates to organize evacuation flights for their citizens.
The State Department announced that a charter flight would be available for stranded Americans, scheduled to depart from Cap-Haitien, a port city approximately 120 miles (193km) from Port-au-Prince. However, the department specified that only U.S. citizens holding valid visas would be eligible for the flight, which is contingent on the stability of conditions in Cap-Haitien.
This evacuation effort follows the recent airlift of non-essential U.S. embassy staff from Port-au-Prince by Washington.
Amidst the power struggles in Haiti, gang leader Barbecue has emerged as a vocal critic of Ariel Henry, demanding his resignation since Henry assumed the role of Prime Minister. Last Tuesday, Henry resigned from his position following weeks of increasing violence and pressure.
Henry had been barred from returning to Haiti after his departure in late January for diplomatic visits to Guyana and Kenya, where he had negotiated an agreement on the deployment of an international security force aimed at mitigating the violence.
Haiti, a Caribbean nation sharing its border with the Dominican Republic, is home to an estimated 11.5 million people. The country spans an area of 27,800 square kilometers, roughly equivalent to the size of Belgium or the U.S. state of Maryland. Haiti’s history is marked by periods of political instability, dictatorships, and natural disasters, making it the poorest country in the Americas. The 2010 earthquake was a devastating event, resulting in over 200,000 fatalities and significant damage to the nation’s infrastructure and economy. Although a UN peacekeeping force was deployed in 2004 to aid in stabilizing Haiti, it was not withdrawn until 2017. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 by unidentified assailants in Port-au-Prince has further compounded the country’s political and social turmoil, with ongoing unrest and gang violence.
