Haiti Declares State of Emergency after Mass Jail Break
The government of Haiti has declared a 72-hour state of emergency after armed gangs stormed a major Port-au-Prince prison, leading to the killing of at least 12 people and the escape of around 4,000 inmates.
On Sunday the doors of the prison were still open and there were no signs of officers, Reuter’s news agency reported.
Gang leaders say they want to force the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who is currently abroad.
The groups aiming to oust him control around 80% of Port-au-Prince.
Violent gang wars have killed thousands in the country since 2020.
The latest upsurge in violence began on Thursday when the Prime Minister traveled to Nairobi to discuss sending a Kenya-led multinational security force to Haiti.
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Under a political deal, Henry was due to stand down by 7 February. But planned elections were not held and he remains in post.
Haiti has not had a single elected government official since the term of the last elected senators expired in January 2023.
In January, the UN said more than 8,400 people were victims of Haiti’s gang violence last year, including killings, injuries, and kidnappings – more than double the numbers seen in 2022.
Anger at the shocking levels of violence, on top of the political vacuum, has led to several demonstrations against the government, with protesters demanding the resignation of the prime minister.
