The government of Haiti published a decree signed by the Prime Minister Ariel Henry, imploring the foreign governments to provide ‘immediate deployment’ of troops to stop ‘the insecurity resulting from the joint actions of armed gangs and their sponsors.’
Caribbean nation has been in turmoil with chaotic demonstrations and violent unrest, gripped by unrest since last month, when large groups of demonstrators descended upon the country’s primary fuel terminal to protest a recent cut to government gas subsidies and hoping to force the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Since then, protesters and armed gang members have effectively blockaded the port, crippling distribution while forcing the closure of countless businesses and other institutions, including three-quarters of Haiti’s hospitals, according to the United Nations.
Haiti has seen significant unrest since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last year, including a spike in kidnappings, riots, looting, and other forms of gang violence. Henry took over as both interim PM and president soon after Moise’s death, though even as protesters insist he step down, the chances for a new election appear unlikely anytime soon.
Haiti port blockades come amid a burgeoning cholera outbreak, which has so far resulted in more than 120 confirmed and suspected cases, and several deaths. The UN has called for a humanitarian corridor through the capital city, Port-au-Prince, to allow health centers to reopen.
The decree warns of a ‘risk of a major humanitarian crisis’ due to serious shortages of vital goods like water and fuel.
“It is imperative to restart activities to avoid a complete asphyxiation of the national economy,” the decree says.
While it’s unclear whether any countries have yet received the request, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, the United Nations “remains extremely concerned about the security situation in Haiti, the impact it’s having on the Haitian people, on its ability to do its work, especially in the humanitarian sphere.”
Last year, the United States sent a small detachment of Marines to Haiti in the wake of Jovenel Moise’s assassination, to secure the US Embassy.
It is not clear yet whether the US government would authorize another deployment, with Washington so far offering no formal response to Henry’s request for troops.
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