Following the invasion of two of Haiti’s largest prisons by armed gangs, reportedly resulting in the escape of thousands of individuals, a 72-hour state of emergency has been announced in the country.
According to various media outlets, the government confirmed that gang members overran two prisons over the weekend, one located in the capital city of Port-au-Prince and the other in nearby Croix-des-Bouquets.
It is believed that almost all of the approximately 4,000 inmates at Haiti’s National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince managed to flee amidst the chaos.
On Sunday, Haiti’s government enacted a state of emergency along with a nighttime curfew in a bid to restore order, as reported by Al Jazeera. Finance Minister Patrick Boisvert reportedly urged the police to utilize “all legal means” to recapture the escaped prisoners and enforce the curfew.
Boisvert is currently overseeing the Haitian government temporarily as Prime Minister Ariel Henry is abroad in Kenya, seeking support for a U.N.-backed security force to address the country’s persistent gang violence.
According to a translated update by Haitian lawyer Arnel Remy on the X social media platform, a staggering total of 3,597 prisoners managed to escape from the National Penitentiary.
The United Nations has cautioned that the Haitian government’s presence is steadily diminishing, as lawlessness and severe gang violence continue to loom large over daily life in the crisis-ridden nation.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Haiti has grappled with a plethora of difficulties in recent times, including political, social, and economic challenges, which have been exacerbated by recurrent natural disasters.