Haiti PM Ariel Henry in Puerto Rico as gang violence continues
Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry was unable to return to his country and landed in Puerto Rico instead. Reports indicate that he arrived in the capital, San Juan, on Tuesday after departing from New Jersey in the US. His whereabouts had been unknown for several days following a trip to Kenya.
During his absence, violence in Haiti escalated, with armed gangs attempting to seize control of the international airport to prevent his return. Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, their leader, demanded Henry’s resignation, cautioning that the nation was on the brink of a civil war that could lead to genocide.
According to local news sources, Henry’s plane was rerouted to Puerto Rico, a US territory, after being denied entry to Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
On Tuesday, the Dominican Republic announced the closure of its airspace with Haiti, as the two countries share the island of Hispaniola.
The country’s leader, Luis Abinader, recently said measures would be taken to ensure a level of “peace and control” was maintained at its land border.
