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Haiti ‘formally’ seeks international assistance with security crisis

Photo: Cris Bouroncle / Pool / AFP

AFP

Haiti said Friday it had “formally” sought international assistance with a worsening security situation “which our national police cannot deal with.”

Bocchit Edmond, Haiti’s ambassador to the United States, told AFP in Lima that a request for “foreign assistance” was made on Thursday.

“Now we are waiting on the international community and the international partners to decide what kind of form that assistance will be,” he said on the sidelines of the general assembly meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS).

What it will not be, said Edmond, is a “foreign force or foreign occupation” of Haiti.

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Rather, “it’s a call to solidarity” in the face of a “human tragedy,” the ambassador added.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, is facing an acute political, economic and security crisis.

Protests and looting have rocked the already unstable country since September 11, when Prime Minister Ariel Henry announced a fuel price hike.

To add to the woes, “you have one of the most notorious armed gangs… still keeping the fuel ports under their grip. It has been more than 20 days,” said Edmond, with hospitals and schools crippled.

“It is a humanitarian issue. There is a necessity (for) the international community to come and assist,” the ambassador said.

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On Thursday, the United Nations warned of a possible explosion of cholera cases in Haiti.

And it made an appeal for the creation of a humanitarian corridor to allow for the release of fuel at the Varreux fuel terminal, the country’s largest, under the control of powerful armed gangs.

OAS secretary general Luis Almagro tweeted on Thursday he had advised Haiti to “seek urgent assistance from the international community “to help resolve security crises and determine characteristics of the international security force.”

And US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who also attended the OAS meeting, said on Twitter he had met his Haitian counterpart Jean Victor Geneus and assured him “we remain committed to helping Haiti restore security and democratic order so that all Haitians can have a brighter future.”

Canada’s Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said on the same forum Friday that “the solution to this crisis must be Haitian-led.”

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“We also called for restoring the supply of fuel from the Varreux terminal and providing robust security assistance to Haiti. We will work together to help restore peace and stability in Haiti,” she tweeted

Haiti, which shares the mountainous Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, has a population of more than 11 million. 

In July, the UN Security Council agreed to ask member states to ban the transfer of small arms to Haiti but stopped short of a full embargo requested by China.

  • Haitian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jean Victor Geneus attends a meeting about aid policy to Haiti hosted by Canada during the 52nd General Assembly of the OAS in Lima on October 6, 2022. (Photo by Cris BOURONCLE / POOL / AFP)

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International

Two fans killed in gate collapse outside Chile’s Estadio Monumental

Two people lost their lives near the Estadio Monumental in Santiago, Chile, following a chaotic incident that occurred before the Copa Libertadores match between Colo Colo and Brazil’s Fortaleza on April 10. According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the victims were crushed after a fence on the stadium perimeter collapsed, though authorities are investigating whether a police armored vehicle may have played a role.

It was a black Thursday at Chile’s Estadio Monumental. Two local fans died outside the stadium after a yet-unclarified incident caused a metal gate to fall on them, leading to fatal asphyxiation.

Local media reports indicate that a group of fans attempted to force their way into the stadium before kickoff. In response, local police allegedly deployed armored vehicles to block the breach.

Preliminary reports cited by local newspapers and news agencies like EFE identify the victims as two young individuals—one 18 years old and the other just 13.

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International

Dominican Republic mourns over 200 dead in Jet Set nightclub collapse

On Thursday, April 10, 2025, the Dominican Republic began mourning the more than 200 victims of the collapse of Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, although many families are still desperately waiting for the remains of their loved ones.

The roof of the Jet Set club collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday, April 8, during a live performance by iconic merengue singer Rubby Pérez.

Rescue workers were completing the recovery of human remains from beneath the rubble of corrugated metal and steel beams, as search efforts ended with no further hope of finding survivors.

Around the morgue, the atmosphere was one of grief, anguish, and despair. A list of the deceased was posted on a canvas covering a nearby tent, where crowds gathered in distress. Health Minister Víctor Atallah stated that forensic teams are working at full capacity and urged patience. “No one will go unidentified, and no one will be left without answers,” he promised. “We will turn over every last stone if we have to.”

The tragic collapse also claimed the lives of several foreigners, including a significant number of Venezuelan nationals who were present at the club, according to local newspaper Listín Diario. The outlet reported the official death toll at 221, which included one Haitian, two French nationals, one Italian, and one Kenyan.

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Meanwhile, relatives, friends, and fans of Rubby Pérez released white balloons outside the National Theater shortly before the hearse departed with the remains of the beloved singer, known for hits like “Enamorado de ella” and “Buscando tus besos.” Draped over his coffin were both the Dominican and Venezuelan flags, the latter symbolizing the country where his fame took off.

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International

Venezuelan oil shipments resume after tariff-induced delays

Many buyers of Venezuelan oil have resumed loading tankers after a week of pauses and delays at the country’s ports, caused by tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on importers of crude from the OPEC member nation, according to shipping data and documents.

In March, the United States gave Chevron and other foreign partners and clients of Venezuela’s state oil company, PDVSA, until May 27 to gradually wind down operations and cease crude exports from the country. Days later, Washington imposed tariffs on buyers of Venezuelan oil and gas.

The measures triggered the suspension of some shipments at the country’s main oil port, Jose, and caused delays at smaller terminals. Many vessels that had left the Jose port and moved away from the coast amid the announcement of the measures have since returned to complete their loadings. In recent days, tankers have begun departing Venezuelan waters en route to destinations such as India and China, according to data and internal documents from PDVSA.

“There was a moment of panic when ships pulled away, but they later received instructions to finish loading,” said a source at PDVSA.

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