The U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince currently has limited operations.
The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, issued an updated security alert for U.S. citizens after armed gangs broke thousands of prisoners out of the capitol’s national penitentiary over the weekend while the country’s prime minister was visiting Kenya. The Haitian national police are trying to regain control after gangs seized control of the main seaport, airports, and prisons.
The U.S. alert stated, “Do not travel to Haiti. If you are a U.S. citizen in Haiti, depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options.”
“We are closely monitoring the situation and condemn efforts by gangs to further destabilize and take control of Haiti,“ said State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. He added that the situation “underscores the urgency of finalizing the Multinational Security Support Mission to assist the Haiti National Police in dealing with the dire security situation on the ground.“
He continued, “With respect to the embassy, the embassy remains open. … The embassy has moved to limited operations with no public services available the first three days of this week due to the ongoing violence in Port-au-Prince.“
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary of State Blinken and U.S. officials as they assess ways to support Haiti during the uprising.
- For wisdom for the president and his foreign advisors as they seek partners for the Multinational Security Support Mission.
Sources: State Department, Reuters
