Port-au-Prince, the capital city of Haiti, is facing an unprecedented crisis as gang violence continues to escalate in the south-central department. The surge in unrest has disrupted the fabric of daily life, with dozens reported dead and thousands displaced, seeking shelter in public schools and other available spaces.
The main hospital in Port-au-Prince stands nearly abandoned, a stark testament to the chaos. “There are no nurses, there are no doctors to take care of patients, and the patients don’t go to the main hospital of Port-au-Prince to look for care,” reports Wilner Bossou from China Global Television Network (CGTN).
The turmoil has exacerbated the political crisis in Haiti, compelling the Prime Minister to announce his resignation—a move long demanded by the gangs wreaking havoc across the city.
Since late February, these armed groups have launched attacks on key public institutions, including police stations and the international airport, which remains shut. A state of emergency and curfew were declared in early March, with police authorized to use “all legal means at their disposal” to restore order.
The gangs have also targeted the city’s fuel supply, blockading the strategic Varreux fuel terminal and leaving gas stations empty. “For the past two weeks, there was a gas shortage, which led multiple people to bring cans, so they can find gas to stock in order to cope with the shortage,” Bossou adds.
The situation today in Port-au-Prince is dire, with daily attacks and heavy gunfire becoming the norm. This instability follows the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021, after which the control of gangs and criminal groups over the city has only tightened. Despite the Prime Minister’s pledge to step down on February 7, the failure to hold elections has plunged the nation deeper into social unrest.
The people of Haiti are caught in the crossfire of this escalating violence, with their future hanging in the balance as the country grapples with a deepening humanitarian and political crisis.
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