International

Haitian armed gangs mobilize before the arrival of the multinational force

The armed gangs of Haiti call for a series of demonstrations in repudiation upon the arrival, scheduled for May 26, of the multinational force to restore security in the nation and which will lead Kenya.

The demonstrations are organized by the armed coalition “Vivre Ensemble” (Living Together), led by the powerful Haitian ex-police officer Jimmy Cherisier, alias “Barbecue”.

Carrefour, south of Port-au-Prince, is practically paralyzed this Saturday, just like yesterday, since the armed structures that control the area require the population to prepare to go out to the street to demonstrate against the arrival of police forces.

To attract large crowds, bandits force thousands of people to take to the streets under threat of beating, killed or expelled if they refuse, as happened on Friday in Fontamara, in the south of the capital; in Bel-air, in the heart of the capital, and in Canaan, at the northern entrance of Port-au-au-Prince, where thousands of citizens demonstrated.

In the massive demonstrations, heavily armed men with sa balacers shouted slogans hostile to the international community and the multinational assistance force to the Haitian Police, approved last October by the Security Council of the United Nations (UN).

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Information circulating on social networks suggests that gang leaders are putting pressure on their members to prevent them from fleeing inland in the face of the arrival of international force.

Meanwhile, the armed gangs gain new territories and on Friday night they took the police station of the town of Gressier, at the southern entrance of the capital, which until then was not under the control of the gangs.

A resurgence of kidnappings in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince has also been reported these days, at the same time that there is a timid resumption of school activities in the capital.

For several days, U.S. military aircraft have been coming and going through the runway of Port-au-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture airport, as part of the preparations for the initial deployment of the multinational force.

More than a hundred U.S. military flights are expected in the coming days, according to the local press.

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Haiti is experiencing a crisis in all orders, aggravated by the terror imposed by the armed gangs, a situation that led to the resignation of the Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, and gave way to the installation in April of the Transitional Presidential Council, which must pave the way for the holding of elections to choose a new president no later than February 7, 2026.

This country, the poorest in America, held presidential elections for the last time in 2016, when Jovenel Moise won, killed on July 7, 2021 by an armed group in his private residence in Port-au-Prince.

International

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s Purse Stolen in D.C. Restaurant Heist

The purse of Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, was stolen on Sunday night at a restaurant in Washington, D.C., Fox News Digital confirmed through several agency sources.

The handbag, taken by a white male wearing a mask, reportedly contained $3,000 in cash along with personal documents, including her passport, keys, driver’s license, and DHS badge, according to an agency spokesperson.

“Her entire family was in town, including her children and grandchildren. She was celebrating her retirement by treating them to dinner, activities, and Easter gifts,” the spokesperson added.

Crime continues to be a significant issue in the U.S. capital, particularly theft. However, violent crime reached its lowest level in 30 years last year, according to the Office of the Attorney General at the time.

International

Pope Francis: The Quiet Architect Behind the U.S.-Cuba Thaw

When then-U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raúl Castro announced the reestablishment of diplomatic relations in December 2014—after decades of hostility—there was a third figure present in both speeches: Pope Francis.

This thaw in U.S.-Cuba relations—later reversed by Donald Trump—was the result of behind-the-scenes negotiations personally encouraged by Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, just over a year after becoming head of the Catholic Church.

Upon learning the news of the breakthrough, the pontiff humbly stated, “This was made possible thanks to the ambassadors and to diplomacy,” which he called “a noble, very noble job.”

In 2015, months after the announcement, Raúl Castro visited the Vatican and met with the pope. Over time, Castro developed a fondness for Francis that he never had for his predecessors, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. “If the Pope continues talking like this, sooner or later I’ll start praying again and return to the Catholic Church—and I’m not joking,” said the younger Castro, who, like his brother Fidel (1926–2016), had been educated by Jesuits—the same order to which Pope Francis belonged.

Pope Francis visited Cuba later that year. Just days before his arrival, the Cuban government announced the pardon of 3,522 common prisoners as an act of clemency.

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While in Havana, the pope met with Fidel Castro, who gave him a first edition of the book Fidel and Religion by Brazilian friar and liberation theologian Frei Betto.

Criticism from the Opposition

Francis’s diplomatic approach also drew criticism from parts of the Cuban opposition. In a 2022 interview with Univision, the pope revealed he had “a human relationship” with Raúl Castro.

International

Dominican Republic Declares Three Days of Mourning for Pope Francis

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has declared three days of national mourning starting Tuesday following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88 in his residence at the Casa Santa Marta.

In an official decree, Abinader highlighted the pope’s legacy “as a global leader who promoted significant reforms within the Catholic Church and was known for his humility, openness to dialogue, and commitment to peace among nations.”

During the mourning period, the national flag will be flown at half-staff at military facilities and public buildings.

According to a statement from the Office of the Presidency, although Pope Francis never visited the Dominican Republic during his papacy, he maintained a close relationship with the country. He expressed solidarity and empathy during difficult times, including offering prayers for the victims of the recent tragedy at a Santo Domingo nightclub on April 8, which claimed 232 lives and left more than 180 injured.