Haitian gang member killed and set on fire in Port-au-Prince’s Petion Ville suburb in apparent vigilante action, Reuters report Thursday.
The corpse is reportedly The Haitian National Police (considered one of the last functional arms of the barely existing Haitian state) was burned to the ground on Wednesday after launching an operation in Pétion Ville to fight gangs that have taken control of large parts of the country. fell.
March 5, 2024: Barbecue, leader of the G9 and Family gang, stands after speaking with journalists at Delmas 6 in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (Oderin Joseph/AP)
According to Reuters, witnesses saw two suspected gang members, including the leader of a notorious gang known as Makandals, being killed and set on fire. Reuters said it had reviewed footage showing bodies being dragged along the road, and that “one man’s hands had been severed.”
local outlet le national report On Thursday, it was announced that police officers had clashed with ‘Makandar’ and some of his gang during Wednesday’s operation.
‘Makandar’ was one of thousands of men. ran away The suspect, who was released from prison in a major escape orchestrated by gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Sheridier, was killed along with some of his accomplices in a police raid on Wednesday. le national Local civilians said they burned the body of Makandar out of a “sense of jubilation”. The home of a gang leader was also reportedly burnt down.
Petion Ville is one of several Port-au-Prince suburbs under siege by domestic gangs as the country continues to spiral out of control. Associated Press report On Thursday, reporters said they had seen at least five bodies around the suburb and that gangs continued to block entrances to some areas.
gang launched This week, several homes were looted and at least a dozen civilians were killed in violent attacks in Port-au-Prince’s upscale neighborhoods of Labourg and Thomasin. Rather than trying to contact police directly, affected communities are calling radio stations to ask for help from the understaffed and slow-to-response Haitian police. Police also reportedly said: Buwa Kale Active since 2023 (slang for street justice).
WATCH — Congressman Cory Mills helps rescue Americans from Haiti amid mass violent anarchy:
Congressman Cory Mills Office/LOCAL NEWS X/TMX
“I woke up to go to work and found out my neighborhood was in the hands of bandits and I couldn’t get out,” a man who identified himself as Samuel Olers told The Associated Press on Thursday. “They were about 30 men with heavy weapons. If the neighbors had mobilized they could have wiped them out, but they were heavily armed and there was nothing we could do. There wasn’t.”
Gen. Laura J. Richardson, Commander, U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) claimed Haiti needs an “international solution” to its dramatic crisis and deteriorating social structure, it said on Tuesday, leaving open the possibility of sending U.S. troops to Haiti as part of an “international solution.” There is even.
Armed members of the G9 and Family Gang stand guard at a barricade in the Delmas 6 neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, March 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Oderin Joseph)
Haitian politicians continue to negotiate the creation of a transitional council tasked with ultimately selecting a new prime minister and other officials to replace Prime Minister Ariel Henry. announced He plans to step down and will officially do so once the council is established. Haiti has not had a president since 2021. assassination About President Jovenel Moïse, who was shot dead in the presidential palace.
The negotiation is reportedly At the time of writing, negotiations are progressing at a slow pace, despite pressure from the United States and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which is acting as a mediator.
“Discussions are continuing. I think it’s going to take some time, but from all indications it’s progressing well,” Guyana’s Ambassador to the United Nations Carolyn Rodriguez Burkett told reporters.
Christian K. Caruso is a Venezuelan writer who chronicles life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
