“Haiti Declares Curfew in Effort to Restore Order After Weekend Jailbreak”

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"Haiti Declares Curfew in Effort to Restore Order After Weekend Jailbreak"

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Haiti Declares State of Emergency and Curfew After Prison Break and Surge in Violence

Haiti’s government declared a state of emergency and nighttime curfew late Sunday in response to a wave of violence that erupted over the weekend. The violence included armed gang members storming the country’s two largest prisons.

The 72-hour state of emergency went into immediate effect as the government announced plans to locate and apprehend the killers, kidnappers, and other violent criminals who escaped from the prisons.

Finance Minister Patrick Boivert, serving as acting prime minister, stated, “The police were ordered to use all legal means at their disposal to enforce the curfew and apprehend all offenders.”

Prime Minister Ariel Henry traveled abroad last week to seek support for a United Nations-backed security force to help stabilize the country in its conflict with increasingly powerful criminal groups.

The weekend’s events marked a new low in Haiti’s escalating violence. At least nine people, including four police officers, were killed in coordinated attacks on state institutions in Port-au-Prince. Targets included police stations, the country’s international airport, and even the national soccer stadium.

The siege of the National Penitentiary on Saturday night was particularly shocking, with almost all of the estimated 4,000 inmates fleeing during the jailbreak. Three bodies with gunshot wounds were found at the prison entrance.

In another neighborhood, the bodies of two men with their hands tied behind their backs were discovered. Residents walked past roadblocks set up with burning tires.

Among the few dozen inmates who chose to remain in the prison were 18 former Colombian soldiers accused of involvement in the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Several of the Colombians shared a video during the clashes, pleading for their lives.

Despite the chaos, Colombia’s foreign ministry called on Haiti to provide “special protection” for the men.

With official information scarce, family members of inmates rushed to the prison to check on their loved ones. Alexandre Jean, searching for her son, said, “I don’t know whether my son is alive or not.”

The violence on Saturday night spread to several neighborhoods, with gunfire reported in multiple areas. Gang gunmen also occupied and vandalized the nation’s top soccer stadium, taking one employee hostage for hours.

After the surge in attacks, the U.S. Embassy in Haiti announced it was halting all official travel to the country and urged all American citizens to depart as soon as possible. The embassy also canceled all consular appointments until Thursday.

The recent violence has highlighted the challenges facing Haiti’s National Police, which has roughly 9,000 officers to provide security for more than 11 million people. The police force is often overwhelmed and outgunned by gangs, which are estimated to control up to 80% of Port-au-Prince.