Haiti: Tensions Rise Again. Help Under Way from Dominican Republic

The situation in Haiti seemed to improve slightly after the announced resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, but now tensions are rising again. The latest disturbing episode was the fire that broke out in the capital Port-au-Prince’s main prison on the night of March 14-15. This is the same prison that was attacked on March 2 by gangs rampaging across the country and from which 3597 inmates were released.

International observers note that the recent escalation in violence is associated with various gangs banding together to overthrow the government and carrying out attacks on infrastructure and public services, as well as kidnappings and violence against the population. On the other hand, gangs have been gaining power in the country for years and have also been “used” by the rulers for political purposes in the past.

The situation is so unstable that both the US and the UN have withdrawn their personnel in recent hours for security reasons, except for those needed to assist the population, which is in a desperate situation. The United Nations Food Program (WFP) has warned that Haiti is on the brink of a devastating food crisis due to violence that is hampering aid delivery.

In any case, the UN has announced the creation of an air bridge between Haiti and the Dominican Republic (the country occupying the eastern part of the island of Española) to provide humanitarian aid to the population. This could be activated within a few days, as explained by the head of security at the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Mao Gomez Vasquez. An attempt is made to find a mechanism to deliver essential goods to the exhausted population and simultaneously evacuate diplomatic personnel.