Haiti has been plunged into a state of catastrophic violence, with powerful criminal gangs effectively seizing control of the capital, Port-au-Prince. The nation is teetering on the brink of collapse, prompting the government to declare a strict 72-hour state of emergency and nightly curfew in a desperate attempt to reclaim order.
The crisis reached a fever pitch over the weekend as coordinated gang attacks overwhelmed the capital's main prison, allowing thousands of inmates to escape. The violence has left bodies littering the streets and forced the closure of the international airport, effectively trapping Prime Minister Ariel Henry abroad during his trip to Kenya.
Prime Minister Stranded as Chaos Reigns
With the Toussaint Louverture International Airport shuttered due to the intense fighting, PM Henry was unable to return from Puerto Rico. His absence has created a dangerous power vacuum, leaving a fractured government to confront the escalating anarchy. The emergency decree, which mandates a nightly curfew from 6pm until 5am, is set to remain in force until Wednesday evening.
Gangs Unleash Coordinated Assault
The unrest was ignited by the notorious gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, a former police officer known as 'Barbecue'. He publicly declared a coordinated offensive to oust the prime minister. Gangs launched simultaneous attacks on critical state institutions, including the national football stadium and the central prison, where an estimated 4,000 inmates were freed.
Haiti's national police force, critically understaffed and outgunned, has struggled to mount an effective response. The few officers on duty have been unable to prevent gangs from overrunning key infrastructure and terrorising the civilian population.
A Nation on the Brink
This latest explosion of violence is the most severe in Haiti's recent history, which has been plagued by political instability, natural disasters, and rampant gang activity. The situation has effectively paralysed the already fragile government and raised grave international concerns about a complete humanitarian collapse.
The future of the nation hangs in the balance as its leaders remain unable to enter the country and its institutions lie in ruins, overrun by those seeking power through brute force.
