Port-au-Prince: The Haitian government on Sunday declared a state of emergency and a renewable 72-hour curfew in the Western Department, where Port-au-Prince is located, due to “deteriorating security” and attacks the previous day on two prisons by armed gangs.
The executive authority indicates, in a statement, that in order to “restore order and take appropriate measures to regain control of the situation,” the curfew will be in effect tonight until five in the morning, and on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from six in the evening until six in the evening. 05:00.
This measure does not affect on-duty members of the public force, firefighters, ambulance drivers, health workers and duly designated journalists.
The memorandum, signed by Patrick Michel Boivre, who is acting as Prime Minister in Ariel Henry's absence, adds that “law enforcement agencies have been authorized to use all legal means at their disposal to ensure that the ceasefire is respected and to arrest violators.”
This measure comes in the province of the West due to deteriorating security, especially in the capital region of Port-au-Prince, “which is characterized by increasingly violent criminal acts committed by armed gangs and causing the displacement of large numbers of residents, and consistent with” kidnappings and killings of peaceful citizens, and violence. Against women and children, and looting and stealing public and private property.”
In its text, the government refers to the attacks that targeted the country's two largest prisons, La Capitale and Croix des Bouquets, “resulting in deaths and injuries among police and prison staff, the escape of dangerous prisoners, and acts of sabotage.” The text adds that “these places” are businesses that “threaten national security.”
Since last Thursday, unprecedented violence has been recorded in Haiti, characterized by an increasing number of clashes between police and armed gangs, intensification of shooting operations in neighborhoods, and a rise in the number of deaths and injuries.
Fear that other public institutions, such as the National Palace and the police headquarters, will be the next targets of armed gangs in Haiti who invaded Port-au-Prince on Sunday, after at least one person died following the attack on the civil prison and 15 people and about 3,600 prisoners escaped from the prison on Saturday. .
Although there are no official figures, at least fifteen of the escaped prisoners were killed, as EFE was able to verify by counting the bodies scattered in different parts of the capital, such as Lalo or Christ Roy, although the largest number of bodies is 10., was found in the vicinity of the prison.
“Unapologetic tv specialist. Hardcore zombie trailblazer. Infuriatingly humble problem solver.”