Haiti: State of Emergency Declared, Curfew Enforced After Prison Break

The Haitian government issued a 72-hour state of emergency after at least 12 people were killed and about 4,000 convicts escaped when armed gangs attacked a major prison in Port-au-Prince on Sunday, March 3.

The gang leaders have stated their intention to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry from office. About 80% of Port-au-Prince is under the sway of the groups who want him out.

Since 2020, hundreds of people have been slain in violent gang conflicts throughout the nation.

(Photo: RICHARD PIERRIN / AFP via Getty Images)
People march as tires burn during a protest against insecurity on August 7, 2023, near the Prime Minister's official house in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Threat to Country's Safety

Two jails, one in the capital and the other in the neighboring town of Croix des Bouquets, were reportedly raided over the weekend. According to BBC, an urgent night-time curfew was instituted at 8:00 PM local time on Sunday in reaction to the acts of "disobedience" that were deemed a danger to national security.

Gang members accused of involvement in President Jovenel Moïse's assassination in 2021 were among those in jail in Port-au-Prince.

The prime minister's trip to Nairobi on Thursday, February 29, to negotiate the deployment of a multinational security force to Haiti, spearheaded by Kenya, coincided with the start of the most recent rise in violence.

Former police officer Jimmy Cherizier, also known as Barbecue, is leading gangs that are attempting to depose Henry. He revealed a coordinated assault to depose the prime minister.

Cherizier, who is believed to be responsible for many killings in Port-au-Prince, said, "All of us, the armed groups in the provincial towns and the armed groups in the capital, are united."

Massive Jail Break

The largest jail facility in the city was assaulted late on Saturday, March 2.

According to reports, the prison's doors remained open on Sunday, and no officials were seen. However, three escaped convicts were found dead in the courtyard.

Approximately ten corpses, some with obvious gunshot wounds, were seen inside the jail.

A volunteer prison staffer said that 99 inmates, including ex-military personnel incarcerated for the assassination of the late President Moïse, had opted to stay within their cells due to worries of being murdered in gunfire.