Haiti has plunged into a 72-hour state of emergency following the brazen invasion of two major prisons by armed gangs, resulting in the escape of thousands of inmates. Reports indicate that gang members overran prisons in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and nearby Croix-des-Bouquets over the weekend, with nearly all of the 4,000 inmates at the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince breaking free.
In response to the escalating chaos, Haiti’s government has implemented a state of emergency and imposed a nighttime curfew in a bid to restore order. Finance Minister Patrick Boisvert has urged law enforcement to employ “all legal means” to recapture the escaped prisoners and enforce the curfew.
With Prime Minister Ariel Henry currently abroad seeking support for a U.N.-backed security force in Kenya, Finance Minister Boisvert has assumed temporary leadership. Meanwhile, Haitian lawyer Arnel Remy reported on social media that a staggering 3,597 prisoners had fled the National Penitentiary.
The United Nations has issued grave warnings about Haiti’s deteriorating situation, citing a steady decline in government presence amid rampant lawlessness and intense gang violence. The country’s ongoing challenges, including political instability, social unrest, economic struggles, and recurrent natural disasters, have further compounded its crisis, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
