Unleashing of violence
After the attack by armed gangs on the main Haitian prison this Saturday evening, prisoners have escaped from the national prison in Port-au-Prince.
According to the Haitian daily Le Nouvelliste, she had been “spying on by drone since Thursday.” The Port-au-Prince prison was attacked on Saturday evening, March 2nd. “Bandits stormed the Port-au-Prince state prison, allowing a certain number of inmates to escape,” the French embassy in the Haitian capital reported in a press release, urging residents to remain “cautious” and refrain from “relocating.” to be foreseen”.
In a message in Creole published on Among “a significant number of prisoners released by the armed attackers” are “important members of very powerful gangs,” the Gazette d'Haïti reports. This penitentiary, located just a few hundred meters from the National Palace, is home to several common-law prisoners, known gang leaders and defendants in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, Le Nouvelliste adds. However, there is no information on the number or profile of prisoners who escaped.
At least four police officers have been killed and dozens of people injured since Thursday. Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, Haiti has faced a serious political, security and humanitarian crisis. Armed gangs have taken control of swathes of the country and murders have more than doubled in 2023. Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who has been in power since 2021, was due to leave office in early February. However, according to Le Nouvelliste, he is currently not in the capital.
This week's violence is aimed at forcing the prime minister to step down from power. The gangs united under the label “Living Together” carry out coordinated attacks in the capital. They particularly target strategic locations such as the civil prison, the international airport and police buildings. In a video posted on social media before the attacks, powerful gang leader Jimmy Cherisier, alias “Barbecue,” reiterated that “all armed groups will act to obtain the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.” “We will use all strategies to achieve this goal. We take responsibility for everything that is currently happening on the streets,” he added. These February 29 attacks coincide with the 20th anniversary of the coup that ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from power.