Haiti’s Justice Ministry calls for increased security for PM amid rising gang violence

Haiti’s Justice Ministry issued a call on Tuesday for heightened security measures to protect Prime Minister Garry Conille and other Cabinet members following unspecified threats suggesting they could be targeted by malicious actors.

While the ministry did not disclose specific details, it cited “consistent and persistent” intelligence indicating that top officials might be in danger from unnamed groups intent on causing “trouble and panic” in the country. The ministry urged police and judicial authorities to take swift action to ensure the officials’ safety. Neither judicial authorities nor the prime minister’s office responded to requests for comment regarding the potential threats.

This warning comes amid a surge in gang violence in neighborhoods of Haiti’s capital that had previously remained outside of gang control. The violence has escalated just months after a U.N.-backed security mission, led by Kenyan police, began operations in the country. Over 4,000 people have been displaced due to recent attacks in areas such as Solino and Tabarre 27 in Port-au-Prince. The recent wave of violence, which began nearly a week ago, is attributed to the gang coalition “Viv Ansanm.” The group had previously orchestrated attacks in February targeting critical government infrastructure, which eventually led to the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry.