Haiti: A Country in Chaos 

The US State Department has urged Americans to avoid travel to Haiti due to escalating gang violence. Haiti’s situation has deteriorated rapidly, prompting a Level 4 travel advisory. A state of emergency was declared, with the US Embassy warning of unpredictable danger. Caribbean leaders, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, met to address the crisis. Prime Minister Ariel Henry agreed to step down, pending a transitional council. However, Kenya cancelled a security mission due to the lack of a functioning government.

Recent violence includes attacks on police stations and prisons, freeing thousands of inmates. Armed groups have seized control of government facilities and airports. A proposed ruling council was rejected by Haitian political figures, who advocate for a three-person council instead.

Street gangs, initially leveraged by political leaders, have now gained significant power. The prime minister’s whereabouts remain uncertain, as Haiti teeters on the brink of chaos, with experts attributing the violence to the government’s reliance on gangs rather than just historical factors like poverty and colonialism.