Haiti’s government has announced a state of emergency and imposed a nighttime curfew to quell escalating violence following attacks by armed gangs on the nation’s two largest prisons over the weekend.
The 72-hour state of emergency was swiftly enacted with the aim of apprehending escaped criminals, including murderers, kidnappers, and other violent offenders.
“The police have been instructed to utilize all lawful methods available to enforce the curfew and apprehend all perpetrators,” stated Finance Minister Patrick Boivert, who is currently serving as acting prime minister.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry embarked on a foreign trip last week in an attempt to garner support for a United Nations-backed security force aimed at stabilizing Haiti amidst its conflict with increasingly formidable criminal factions.
The decree followed a weekend marred by escalating violence, representing a grim milestone in Haiti’s descent into lawlessness.
At least nine individuals, including four police officers, have lost their lives since Thursday, as gangs launched coordinated assaults on state institutions across Port-au-Prince.
Targets ranged from police stations to the country’s international airport and even the national soccer stadium.
However, the siege on the National Penitentiary on Saturday night shocked even those accustomed to Haiti’s pervasive violence.
Nearly all of the approximately 4,000 inmates escaped during the jailbreak, rendering the typically overcrowded facility eerily deserted on Sunday, devoid of guards and strewn with plastic sandals, clothing, and furniture.
Three individuals, bearing gunshot wounds, lay at the prison entrance.
In another part of the city, the lifeless bodies of two men, hands bound behind their backs, lay on the ground as residents navigated past roadblocks constructed from burning tires.
Among the small number who opted to remain in prison are 18 former Colombian soldiers implicated in the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
Amidst the turmoil on Saturday night, several of these Colombians released a video pleading for their lives.
“Please, please help us,” one of the men, Francisco Uribe, said in the message widely shared on social media. “They are massacring people indiscriminately inside the cells.”
Uribe confidently informed journalists on Sunday that he entered the typically heavily guarded facility without issue, stating, “I didn’t flee because I’m innocent.”
Colombia’s foreign ministry urged Haiti to offer “special protection” for the men.
In the absence of official information, family members of inmates hurried to the prison to inquire about their loved ones.
“I don’t know whether my son is alive or not,” said Alexandre Jean as she roamed around the cells, looking for any sign of him. “I don’t know what to do.”
The violence that erupted on Saturday night appeared to be widespread, with multiple neighbourhoods reporting gunfire. In addition to the chaos at the National Penitentiary, a second prison in Port-au-Prince, housing approximately 1,400 inmates, was also overrun by gang members.
Furthermore, gunmen seized control of the nation’s primary soccer stadium, where they held an employee hostage for several hours, according to a statement from Haiti’s soccer federation.
During the rampage, internet service for many residents was disrupted due to damage to a fibre optic cable connection, causing further chaos and communication challenges.
Over the course of less than two weeks, several state institutions have fallen victim to gang attacks, illustrating an alarming trend of coordinated actions by criminal groups targeting even highly secure locations such as the Central Bank.
In the wake of escalating violence, the U.S. Embassy announced a halt to all official travel to Haiti and urged American citizens to evacuate as soon as possible.
Consular appointments were also canceled until Thursday, reflecting the severity of the security situation in the country.
Amid the turmoil, Haiti’s National Penitentiary emerged as the epicentre of the latest violence, as it housed several prominent gang leaders.
With the exchange of gunfire intensifying, authorities issued urgent appeals for assistance to restore order and quell the escalating crisis.
“They need help,” a union representing police said in a message on social media bearing an “SOS” emoji repeated eight times.
“Let’s mobilize the army and the police to prevent the bandits from breaking into the prison.”
Haiti’s National Police Force, comprising approximately 9,000 officers, is tasked with safeguarding a population of over 11 million people, as reported by the U.N.
However, they frequently find themselves overwhelmed and outmatched by the gangs that wield significant control, with estimates suggesting they dominate up to 80% of Port-au-Prince.
Jimmy Chérizier, also known as Barbecue, a former elite police officer turned leader of a gang federation, has openly acknowledged his role in orchestrating the recent wave of attacks.
He has articulated his objectives, which include capturing Haiti’s police chief and government ministers, with the aim of preventing the return of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Despite mounting calls for his resignation, Prime Minister Henry, a neurosurgeon by profession, has remained defiant.
When questioned about the safety of his return to Haiti, he chose not to offer any comment, underscoring the precarious and volatile situation gripping the nation.