Prince Portthe capital of Haiti, live a moment of uncertainty. This Saturday night, Criminal gangs attacked a prison with blood and fireand released an unknown number of prisoners.
(Read here: Gangs take over Haiti's central prison and release prisoners: Colombians ask for help)
The atmosphere of uncertainty has prevented reporters from traveling to the area, but the agency Efe was able to establish that in the surroundings of the prison there are at least 10 bodies of people not yet identifiedsome of these bodies have been torn apart by animals.
Everything seems to indicate that, as this Sunday progresses, the death toll will increase as a result of the attack last night on the National Penitentiary, the largest prison center in the country where the accused colombians to participate in the assassination of Jovenel Moisemurdered in 2021.
Gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, alias 'Barbecue', gave a press conference this Friday where he said that several areas and institutions in the south of Port-au-Prince were going to be taken over.
On the street, reports suggest that the Police seem to be regaining control of the situation and have also collected some bodies.
However, The Government has not yet commented on the eventsat a time when senior officials are putting pressure on the international community to send troops to help the local public force, which has been overwhelmed by criminal gangs.
Who would be behind the assault?
Haiti's main gangs They revealed a few days ago that they aim to take control of the main public institutions and overthrow the current Government.
The gang leader Jimmy Chérizieralias 'Barbecue', gave a press conference this Friday where he said that they were going to take over several areas and institutions in the south of Port-au-Prince and one of their objectives was the National Penitentiary.
On February 29, the same Department of agriculture acknowledged that its facilities had been attacked by heavily armed men.
During this attack, which lasted several hours, the Ministry's security agents were not spared from the violence and the armed groups took away important administrative documents, including payroll checks issued to employees.
What is known about Colombians?
Relatives of prisoners in Haiti told EL TIEMPO that they have already contacted them to report the situation. Likewise, they have already tried to find the consul in that country to request help.
At the moment, the real magnitude of the assault that took place this Saturday night has yet to be confirmed.
Who is alias 'Barbecue'?
This is the powerful leader of armed gangs in Haiti.
Jimmy Chérizier, alias Barbecue, is known for his cruelty and one of the main protagonists of the escalation of violence these days in Port-au-Prince and he promises, time and time again, that he will keep up the battle until he gets the country's prime minister, Ariel Henry, give up power.
This former police officer, despite being “actively sought” by the authorities for his participation in several massacres perpetrated in disadvantaged neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, circulates freely throughout Haiti.
Of medium height, strong build and always equipped with a short and a long-range weapon, he receives the nickname BBQ due to the supposed crematorium that he would have to burn the bodies of members of rival gangs or those who oppose him.
Kenya and Haiti signed in Nairobi a bilateral agreement requested by the courts of the African country to allow the deployment of a contingent of 1,000 police officers of that nationality.
When he leaves his private lair in Delmas 6in the heart of the city, he is always accompanied by at least ten of his soldiers, heavily armed young men.
In their ranks there are child soldiers and police officers and has material and equipment from the State, including at least one armored vehicle of the Haitian National Police (PNH) that it uses especially in massacres.
Chérizier has repeatedly called himself 'revolutionary', Well, he claims that he is carrying out an insurrection to change things in the country.
He stands as a representative of justice and demands respect from everyone. People fear him, although he tries to give the image of a leader concerned about the people, distributing school supplies and food.
In addition to Chérizier, On social networks there are videos in which you can see how the powerful leader of the Village de Dieu gangIzo, monitors both the National Penitentiary and the National Palace through sophisticated drones.
Armed groups took over Haiti's main prison this Saturday. The escalation of violence is led by Jimmy Cherizier (Barbecue), a former police officer seeking to overthrow Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Here is one of the videos he recorded in recent years. https://t.co/f5rGzixy4j pic.twitter.com/246oOyQhrN
— Lucas Silva (@LucasMartinSil) March 3, 2024
What role is the Government playing?
At the moment, there is no news about the return to the country of the Haitian prime minister, Ariel Henry after attending the summit of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and his subsequent trip to Kenya, where he discussed the sending to Haiti of the multinational security support mission led by that African country and approved by the UN in October.
Last Friday, Kenya and Haiti signed in Nairobi a bilateral agreement requested by the courts of the African country to allow the deployment of a contingent of 1,000 police officers of that nationality.
Since Thursday, violence has increased in Haiti, after the Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Phillip Davisassured that his Haitian counterpart, Ariel Henry, had committed to holding elections before August 31, 2025.
Since 2021, when the assassination of the then president took place Jovenel Moise, the Caribbean country is experiencing an unprecedented crisis. On the one hand, criminal gangs have extended their tentacles of power and practically control a good part of the country.
On the other hand, the main rulers who took power after Moise's death, including Ariel Henry, are trying to stabilize Haiti, but have also been accused of preventing a transition and refusing to call elections.
All this adds up to the fact that the Haitian population suffers from insecurity, violence and high levels of poverty.
INTERNATIONAL EDITORIAL
*With Efe
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