Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry's plane touched down in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, according to the governor's spokesperson, Sheila Angleró Mojica. This arrival followed days of uncertainty regarding his whereabouts, coinciding with a crisis in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
Port-au-Prince has been rocked by a series of coordinated attacks by armed gangs on law enforcement and state institutions. These groups have set fire to police stations and freed thousands of inmates from prisons, with one gang leader openly aiming to overthrow Henry's government.
Henry had been in Kenya, where he signed an agreement for a Kenyan-led mission of 1,000 police officers to restore security in Haiti. His last public appearance was in Kenya on Friday before his sudden appearance in Puerto Rico.
Haiti declared a state of emergency on Sunday due to the escalating violence. The United Nations reported that 15,000 people had fled their homes in the capital, adding to the 300,000 already displaced by gang violence.
Port-au-Prince appears to be under gang control, with gangs launching assaults on police stations and the police academy, where over 780 officers in training are based, according to Occil Francisco, a spokesperson for the police union Synapoha. He emphasized the urgent need for reinforcements to help the police provide security for civilians.
The Dominican Republic has suspended all flights to and from Haiti, with President Luis Abinader announcing heightened security along the border and warning of a harsh response to any escaped Haitian prisoners trying to enter the country.
Amid the chaos, aid groups like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are working to assist the injured in Port-au-Prince. However, accessing the main port and international airport has become challenging, hindering their efforts to provide essential medical supplies to those in need.
The situation in Haiti remains dire, with half the population, approximately 5.5 million people, requiring humanitarian assistance, according to the UN.
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