The National Penitentiary of Haiti, the largest in the country, which operates in the capital, Port-au-Prince, suffered a fire this Thursday with still undetermined consequences. Local media have warned of the fire in the morning. Videos of the incident show a huge column of smoke rising over the prison. A couple of weeks ago, the coordinated attack by dozens of criminal gangs, which dominate a good part of the capital, allowed the escape of most of its prisoners, who numbered just over 3,500.
The origin of the fire is unknown at the moment, if it had to do with some type of new attack, if it is, instead, a consequence of the first, or if it is a coincidence in a city where everything seems to collapse. Local media have reported that the few inmates remaining in the prison after the gang attack have been evacuated. The Efe agency has explained that the fire is being put out, although it does not rule out that it could be reactivated.
In addition to the fire in the prison, news of shootings near the airport, next to the headquarters of the General Directorate of the National Police, has emerged on social media. Again, it is not known if this is a direct attack on police offices. Like the National Penitentiary, the coordinated attack by criminal gangs two weeks ago targeted police stations and barracks. The attack left at least six police officers murdered and nine corporation facilities burned and looted.
The prison fire occurs in the midst of negotiations between political actors in Haiti for the formation of a transitional council, which will remove the country from institutional immobility and allow elections to be called in the medium term. Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced this week that he would step down once the council is formed. Its creation, an idea of leaders of Caribbean countries, protected by the approval of the United States, represents a challenge for the Haitian elites, who must elect their members and they, in turn, a prime minister, who will lead the country until The elections. Haiti has not held elections since 2016.
The challenge is huge. Elite decisions depend in part on the volatility of criminal leaders like Jimmy Cherizier, aka BBQ, Izo, or Vittelhome. The coordinated attack two weeks ago showed the organizational capacity of these groups, which control a good part of the capital. After the peak of attacks, it is not clear if the alliance, which they called Vivre Ensemble, prevails, or instead, the economic interests of each one prevail.
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