Port-au-Prince.- The Haitian Government has announced an extension of the state of emergency across the Western Department, home to the capital, Port-au-Prince, effective from this Thursday until May 3rd. Additionally, authorities have prolonged the curfew in the district until April 10th. These measures are aimed at restoring order and implementing necessary actions to regain control of the situation, as stated in a release from the office of interim Prime Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert.
The curfew will be enforced from 7 PM local time (12:00 AM GMT) until 6 AM local time next Wednesday (11:00 GMT). However, exemptions are made for law enforcement personnel, firefighters, ambulance drivers, health workers, and duly identified journalists.
During the state of emergency, all public demonstrations on roads, day or night, in the Western Department are strictly prohibited. Consequently, the police have been instructed to utilize all legal means to enforce the curfew and apprehend violators.
These measures come as no surprise to Haitians, as the capital continues to grapple with widespread violence perpetrated by armed gangs, which exert control or influence over much of Port-au-Prince.
These actions by the interim government coincide with rising expectations surrounding discussions for the establishment of a Transitional Presidential Council in Haiti, supported by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) and countries including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil, aimed at addressing Haiti’s unprecedented insecurity.
While discussions are underway, some parts of the metropolitan region of the capital experienced relative calm on Wednesday, while other areas witnessed intense gunfire throughout the day.
The Haitian National Police (PNH) has intensified its operations as the sole remaining institution functioning in the country since the crisis erupted at the end of last February. The police force remains committed to combating armed gangs in collaboration with the populace.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the PNH reported the death of a prominent gang leader in an exchange of gunfire, along with the seizure of weapons and ammunition. ‘New York New York’, leader of the Cité Doudoune gang in the commune of Croix-des-Bouquets, north of the capital, was reportedly killed during an operation aimed at curbing criminal activities.
Source: EFE