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Gunfire paralyzed the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince Thursday, February 29, leaving several police officers dead and forcing the closure of schools, universities, businesses, and the main international airport. This latest surge in violence comes as Prime Minister Ariel Henry, currently in Kenya, seeks international assistance to combat powerful gangs.
The attacks, coordinated by multiple armed groups according to gang leader Jimmy Cherisier, targeted several police stations, two of which were set ablaze. Cherisier, also known as “Barbecue,” declared on social media his intent to remove Henry from power with the support of “our guns and the Haitian people.”
This violence unfolds amidst a dual crisis in Haiti. Armed gangs control vast swathes of the country, inflicting brutal violence on civilians and crippling the economy. Simultaneously, political tensions simmer as thousands demand Henry step down, as promised, following the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
With no elected officials currently in power, Henry assumed the Prime Ministership with international backing. However, his failure to organize promised elections by February 2024 has fueled public discontent.
Seeking support, Henry traveled to Kenya to finalize the deployment of Kenyan police officers to Haiti. However, a recent Kenyan court ruling deemed this deployment unconstitutional. Despite the setback, both Henry and Kenyan officials strive for a solution allowing forces to arrive soon.
Speaking at the CELAC Summit, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the need for a political solution alongside any international intervention. “You can put as many police forces as possible in Haiti, but if there is no political solution, the problem will not be solved,” he stated.
Henry recently pledged to “share power” with the opposition until new elections are held, although the timing remains unclear.
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