Haiti under fire and looting

Santo Domingo, DR

There was an attack and robbery at an American school with a Christian profile.

Yesterday, Monday, Haiti entered into a new day of protests and mobilizations against the government in the capital and neighboring districts. However, it is expected that they could quickly spread to the rest of the country, foreseeing a worsening climate of instability due to increased political and social tensions there.

The protests are resuming after a week characterized by mobilizations, attacks, and looting, which gained momentum after the Prime Minister, Ariel Hery, announced on Thursday 18 an increase in fuel prices.

In summary, vehicle fires, thefts from offices, blocking streets and highways, barricades, and burning of tires.

A report by Alfred Michner of the Gazette Haiti News digital portal informs that this new outbreak of protests occurred early in the morning with demonstrations in Delmas and Petion-Ville. The stretch of road connecting these communities was deserted.

Public transportation, commerce, industry, and public administration were out of operation. In this situation, few people dared to go out into the streets.

Groups of protesters erected barricades on some streets that had been cleared during the past weekend.

John Brown Lalue and Bourdon avenues, east of the capital, were also blocked, where protesters threw stones at people trying to jump the barricades. The surrounding streets were also deserted with some parapets, and there were obstacles just outside the entrance of the Montana Hotel and in front of Muncheez, a company engaged in the restaurant business.

The Delmas 33 road was blocked at the Dumorday and “K-naval” markets.
The road to the airport Toussaint Louverture International Airport, has been quiet. Vehicle traffic decreased, except for a few motorcyclists on duty.

Against Caritas

A little less than 24 hours after last Sunday’s condemnation by the United States against the assaults and appropriation of goods and products from foreign installations in Haiti, hundreds of Haitians looted yesterday morning, Monday, the offices of Civil Protection and Caritas International in Lavaud, on the route to Saint-Louis du Nord.

This is Caritas’s second attack and robbery since last Friday in Gonaïves. The day before, the World Food Program was looted. In response, the government commissioner, Me Jacques Lafontant, has asked for a detailed report on damages and identification of the perpetrators of these lootings, arson, and vandalism to proceed to justice.

Founded in 1975, Caritas Haiti is a social organization whose mission is to “build a more just and united society.”

The National Office coordinates the diocesan Caritas operating throughout Haiti through its administrative team and about 4,000 volunteers who are members of parish Caritas.

On Sunday, the US embassy in Haiti condemned “acts of looting, vandalism and violence” against facilities of several foreign institutions that occurred during the protests against the increase in fuel prices and demand for the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Until now, the US embassy had remained silent while Port-au-Prince and the provinces have lived under the scourge of violence.