In recent weeks, violence has prevailed in Haiti, being most energetic in the capital, Port-au-Prince. A violence that led to the resignation of the Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, after threats made by the gangs about the beginning of a civil war. The international community had to take action on the matter - to try to avoid a greater evil - and, especially, the United States. Through the Department of State (DOS), it decided to execute different measures, such as allocating millions of dollars in humanitarian aid or evacuating non-essential members of its embassy.
But the American initiatives do not end there; The latest measures come from the Pentagon. The United States Southern Command confirmed the deployment of an anti-terrorist unit in the embassy located in Port-au-Prince with two objectives: to provide "assistance to citizens" who are still in the Caribbean country and to "ensure a peaceful transition of power" in Haiti.
"At the request of the Department of State, the U.S. Southern Command deployed a U.S. Marine Fleet-Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) to maintain strong security capabilities at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, and conduct relief in place for our current Marines, a common and routine practice worldwide. The U.S. Embassy remains open, and limited operations continue, focused on assistance to US citizens and supporting Haitian led efforts to secure a peaceful transition of power," the Southern Command explained in a statement.
Statement: U.S. Marine Fleet-Anti-terrorism Security Team (FAST) deployed to maintain strong security capabilities at the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. @USEmbassyHaitihttps://t.co/nKfIW6e7ZQ
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) March 13, 2024
In another letter, the United States Southern Command reported that it "is prepared with a wide range of contingency plans to ensure the safety and security of U.S. Citizens in Haiti."
Since the spiral of violence began in Haiti, hundreds of thousands of citizens have been internally displaced while fleeing the areas hardest hit by the conflict.
