SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Reuters) — Canada will send naval vessels to Haiti to collect intelligence to quell the growing gang violence in the Caribbean nation, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday.
Trudeau said at the July 2021 annual gathering of Caribbean leaders that an increase in killings, rapes and kidnappings in Haiti has become a key issue because of the gangs he encouraged since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. So, I made a presentation in the Bahamas.
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry also attended the meeting, calling for a full-scale international military intervention to stem the chaos. His country he asked the United Nations Security Council for help in October, proposing that the United States and Canada join forces. No such intervention has materialized, and no country has offered to take the lead. The move to send Canadian ships, announced at a summit of the 15-nation Caricom trade bloc, comes shortly after the return of one of its surveillance planes on a similar mission to gather intelligence for the Haitian police.
“Today, Haiti faces relentless gang violence, political instability and corruption,” Trudeau said. “Now is the time to come together to confront the gravity of this situation.”
He also revealed his other sanctions against two Haitians.
Former interim president Jocelerme Privert and former political adviser Salim Succar. Both were not immediately reachable for comment. They join 15 of his others who have already been banned from doing business in Canada because of their alleged gang ties. Also on Thursday, the U.S. State Department announced it had imposed visa restrictions on five other Haitians and seven unidentified family members, only saying they encouraged violence, corruption and instability.10 A total of 44 people have faced US restrictions since May.
Meanwhile, the Canadian leader has said his government will provide another $12.3 million in humanitarian aid and $1,000 to support the International Migration Service to protect Haitian women and children along the Haiti-Dominican Republic border. said to allocate $10,000. The neighboring country deported tens of thousands of Haitian and Haitian immigrants last year.
“The human suffering in Haiti weighed heavily on me,” Trudeau said. Earlier Thursday, Prime Minister Trudeau met behind closed doors with Henry, who told reporters he urged Haiti to hold elections despite growing unrest.
According to the United Nations, the number of reported killings in Haiti increased 35% last year to 2,183 victims, while the number of reported kidnappings more than doubled to 1,359 victims. became.
The United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti reported last month that “gang-related violence has reached levels not seen in decades,” with tens of thousands displaced from their homes by fighting gangs. There is
Canada, the United States, and other countries have already provided military equipment, other resources, and training to Haiti’s national police force, which has a population of over 11 million. Gangs control an estimated 60% of the capital of Port-au-Prince.
Prime Minister Trudeau also pledged $1.8 million to help fight illegal drug trafficking and strengthen border and maritime security across the Caribbean. Prime Minister Trudeau also said the government would allocate $44.8 million to help Caribbean countries combat climate change.
The CARICOM conference, which was attended by other officials, including Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols, is scheduled to begin Wednesday and end Friday.
