US orders nonessential staff out of Haiti amid gang crisis

The United States has ordered its nonessential personnel and family of government employees to leave Haiti as the Caribbean nation faces spiraling insecurity, the State Department said.

Issuing an updated travel advisory Thursday evening, the State Department also reiterated its warning that Americans should not travel to Haiti.

“US citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges,” the statement said.

The US government is “extremely limited in its ability” to assist Americans in the country who may need emergency help, it said, warning that “kidnapping is widespread” and that the Haitian Ministry of Health had “confirmed an outbreak of cholera.”

Staff at the US embassy in Port-au-Prince already live under tight security, confined to a protected residential area and forbidden to walk around the capital or use any public transport or taxis.

The statement did not mention the number of staff and family members who would be impacted by the departure order, nor any specific reason for the change as Haiti has seen swirling crises for months.

Violent crime rising

Gangs control around 80 percent of the Haitian capital, and violent crimes such kidnappings for ransom, armed robbery and carjackings continue to escalate in the impoverished Caribbean nation.

With Haitian security forces overwhelmed, the US State Department advisory warned that “mob killings against presumed criminals have been on the rise since late April.”

On Tuesday, AFP spoke with displaced Haitians who have for several days taken refuge outside the US embassy in Port-au-Prince.

“It’s the only place where we think we’ll be protected, in which we have trust,” said Aris Louima.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry have called for months for an international intervention to help support the police.

While Guterres has called for a non-UN force, the Security Council has asked him to present by mid-August a report on all possible options, including a UN-led mission.

Several countries have said they support the idea of such a force, but none has offered to lead it.

Experts say the history of previous failed missions to Haiti and fears of becoming stuck in a deadly quagmire have made countries hesitant to take on the lead-nation role.

Brian Nichols, the lead US State Department official for the Americas, told a US congressional hearing on Thursday that “progress” was being made on that front.

“I would note that any country that does take the lead, I’m confident will enjoy support from other key peacekeeping contributors, as well as from the United States, from Canada, France,” Nichols added.

At the same hearing, Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida described Haiti as a “disaster.”

“Its as bad a situation as anywhere else on the planet,” he said.