On Monday, as the situation in Haiti continued to deteriorate, the United States and Mexico informed the United Nations that they were preparing to take action. Several reasons have contributed to this current crisis, including gang conflict, food shortages, and a cholera epidemic.
In a special session of the United Nations Security Council, the United States and Mexico proposed two resolutions: one to authorize “a restricted carefully-scoped non-UN mission headed by a partner nation with the deep, important experience,” and another to impose financial penalties on criminal actors.
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Monday Greenfield of the United States informed the U.N. Security Council that this will “better the security situation on the ground,” making it easier to help people in need and finally putting an end to the present cholera outbreak.
According to The Guardian, the country’s economy has been in shambles since robbers last month shut down a crucial petroleum refinery. Because of this, a lot of stores and hospitals have shut down all around the country. According to U.N. estimates, up to 5 million people in Haiti might be impacted.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry has requested military aid from the United Nations.
Former police officer Jimmy Chérizier, aka “Barbecue,” is the leader of an armed gang in Haiti, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has requested a “quick reaction team” to help the police in deposing him.
U.N. officials have blamed [Cherizier] for their country’s serious gasoline shortage.
The current situation in Port-au-Prince and the rest of Haiti has been described by Guterres as “a nightmare.”
‘I believe that we need to strengthen the [Haitian] police — strengthening it with training, with equipment, with a number of other measures but that in the present circumstances, we need an armed action to release the port and to allow for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor,’ he was quoted as saying by Al Jazeera.
Juan Ramón de la Fuente Ramrez, Mexico’s ambassador to the United Nations, has pledged that the regime guilty of the fatalities will suffer repercussions, including an arms embargo.
Ramirez is quoted as saying, “It is not a matter of sanctions against the Government, but against those who perpetrate blows against the Government and terrify civilians.”
President Joe Biden’s office announced Monday that it will conduct its own investigation.
On Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the United States would increase humanitarian help to the people of Haiti while tightening visa restrictions on the government of Haiti.
Several opposition groups have denied receiving foreign funding, while the Chinese and Russian governments have voiced concern that meddling in the situation in Haiti may lead to violent conflict with the public.
Henry became Haiti’s ninth prime minister after the 2010 earthquake devastated the country. Many locals, it has been said, would be happy to see him leave.