US evacuates embassy officials from Haiti as reports suggest government collapse

The United States launches an evacuation of embassy staff from Haiti amid escalating violence as armed gangs attempt to seize control of Port-au-Prince

The United States has initiated the evacuation of embassy personnel from Haiti as armed gang fighters attempted to seize control of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Beginning on Feb. 29, Haiti’s gangs launched an offensive aimed at overthrowing the government, attacking police stations, prisons, and hospitals, and laying siege to key locations such as the port and airport.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who was abroad when the rebellion started, is now stranded in Puerto Rico. The US government cautioned him last week about the imminent risk of his government’s collapse.

The gang uprising intensified on Friday as numerous criminals converged on Champ de Mars, a downtown area of Port-au-Prince housing government ministries, embassies, consulates, banks, hotels, Haiti’s supreme court, and the official presidential residence.

Reports indicate that gang members set fire to the interior ministry, constructed after the 2010 earthquake that devastated much of the capital, and targeted the presidential palace with gunfire before being repelled by troops.

As of Sunday, police appeared to maintain control of the Champ de Mars area. However, foreign governments are urging their citizens to leave Haiti amid concerns that Henry’s embattled administration could collapse within days or even hours.

According to the Miami Herald newspaper, US Marines were flown into Port-au-Prince on Sunday to bolster embassy security and facilitate the evacuation of non-essential personnel. The operation, carried out at midnight via helicopter, was at the request of the State Department.

Haiti’s security situation has steadily worsened since Henry assumed the roles of prime minister and acting president following the 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moise. Politically connected gangs involved in kidnapping, drug trafficking, and extortion now control over 80% of Port-au-Prince, with their influence expanding in recent days.

According to unconfirmed reports, the government has nearly collapsed in Haiti, and gangs have seized control.

Source: Newsroom

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