Haiti declares state of emergency

The government of the Caribbean nation of Haiti has declared a state of emergency following two prison breaks over the weekend.

The Haitian government stated that two prisons – one in Port-au-Prince, and the other in nearby Croix-des-Bouquets – were stormed by armed gangs over the weekend of 2–3 March, resulting in the escape of around 4,000 prison inmates.

At least 12 people are believed to have died as a result of the inmates’ escape.

A state of emergency was subsequently declared, alongside an immediate nighttime curfew. The government justified the move by stating that the breakouts constituted a threat to national security.

Haiti’s political vacuum

According to a report by the BBC, the gang leaders who organised the escapes are intending to force the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry – who is currently abroad. Henry had reportedly travelled to Nairobi to discuss the possibility of sending a Kenya-led multinational security force to Haiti.

Among those held in the prisons were gang members connected with the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

Since then, Moïse has not been replaced, and elections have not been held since 2016. The country also has not had any elected government officials since the term of the last group of elected senators expired in January 2023.

Prime Minister Henry himself was due to stand down under a political deal on 7 February ahead of planned elections – but has not done so.

Protests, shortages, and rising gang violence

Haiti has been experiencing a rise in upheaval in the face of the growing political vacuum. Crisis24 warned last month that protests in the country were likely to cause “disruptions to transport, business, schools, and government agencies”. Additionally, they could cause “possible shortages of basic goods, including food, water, and fuel”.

The country has also experienced intense gang trouble in recent years, with the United Nations reporting that 8,400 people were victims of gang violence in 2023, including murders, injuries, and kidnappings. This is more than double (122% increase) the number of gang-related incidents that occurred in 2022.

The US Department of State also recently updated its travel advisory for Jamaica to level 3 – ‘reconsider travel’.