International

At least 66 people died or disappeared between January and July in the capital of Haiti

At least 66 people died or disappeared in the towns of Gressier and Carrefour, south of the capital of Haiti, between January and July of this year, in attacks perpetrated by armed gangs, according to a report by the National Network for the Defense of Human Rights (Rnddh) published this Friday.

Among the victims are four agents of the Haitian National Police (PNH), fifteen women and a minor, according to the report, which also reveals that twelve of the victims were between 60 and 80 years old.

The document emphasizes that armed bandits wear police uniforms, move with their firearms in vehicles and motorcycles equipped with police sirens, and demand that local residents pay them a periodic sum based on the number of people who live in the houses or who perform an income-generating activity.

“Police interventions to regain control of these two towns are very few and so far have not yielded any results,” denounced Rnddh, who maintains that the relatives of these victims and witnesses have described the horror they have experienced in a context marked by a marked deterioration of the situation in this depressed Caribbean country.

Hundreds of homes were looted, set on fire or illegally occupied, while vehicles have been stolen or burned and goods have been destroyed, according to the report on the situation.

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At least 12 tolls have been installed at the southern entrance of Port-au-Prince, from Portail de Léogane to Gressier, and armed bandits have established a daily collection system in at least six markets.

Dozens of women and girls raped them in a group. The NGO was able to locate 46 survivors of rape, including three minors.

Some of these victims were raped in their homes and then had to flee after witnessing the murder of a relative.

Others kidnapped them in their homes and taken them to places where they were received naked men, who waited for them to rape them in a group for several hours or days.

“During these rapes, women and girls were also interrogated, severely beaten and insulted” by members of armed gangs, Rnddh’s investigation adds.

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Since the end of October 2023, Carrefour and Gressier have been experiencing unprecedented armed violence, characterized by massacres and armed attacks perpetrated by the bandits.

It is also characterized by rapes and collective violations, robberies, looting, house fires, decapitalization of merchants and massive displacement of the population, a situation that has worsened this year.

The Transitional Presidential Council and the Superior Council of Police, chaired by the Prime Minister, Gary Conille, have promised to restore order and security in the area and affirm that security is a priority, however, they absorb a very important part of the agents for their personal safety and that of their families, to the detriment of the community, the report criticizes.

He also affirms that the agents of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMAS), headed by Kenya and deployed since June, do nothing to help the population suffering from the acts of armed bandits, despite the fact that their mission is to help restore security and peace in the country in general and in the departments of Ouest and Artibonite, especially affected by the phenomenon of armed gangs.

Faced with the inaction of the Government and the MMAS, the armed bandits “gain in confidence and arrogance” and “enlag their territory,” he said.

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The Haitian people “continue to be victims of systematic violations of their fundamental rights to life, freedom and security, physical integrity, psychological integrity, private property and freedom of movement,” the NGO denounces.

“And it is not surprising that the hopes placed by this population in the new authorities and in the arrival of the MMAS agents are already beginning to crumble,” he concluded.

International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”

International

Mexico security chief meets DEA director in Washington to boost anti-drug cooperation

Mexico’s Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, met in Washington with the head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Terrance Cole, to discuss cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking and illegal arms flows.

The Mexican official said Monday on social media that he attended the meeting in representation of the Mexican government’s Security Cabinet.

“In Washington, D.C., I represented the Security Cabinet to hold talks with DEA Director Terrance Cole on the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to combat drug trafficking, curb the flow of weapons into our country, and reduce violence in Mexico through significant arrests,” García Harfuch wrote.

He added that, following instructions from Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government will continue strengthening international cooperation on security matters.

For his part, Cole said the meeting focused on cross-border collaboration to tackle drug trafficking and to build safer communities on both sides of the border.

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The meeting comes as Mexico and the United States begin a new round of dialogue on economic and security issues.

Earlier Monday, President Claudia Sheinbaum said she will look for the “best moment” to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump, adding that maintaining a good relationship with Washington is a priority for her administration.

International

Venezuela’s foreign minister accuses UN rights chief of “immoral bias”

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil criticized the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, accusing him of having an “immoral bias” and acting as an “echo chamber for falsehoods” regarding the situation in Venezuela.

Gil’s remarks came after Türk stated that his office had not received an official list from Venezuelan authorities detailing the release of political prisoners, nor authorization to carry out visits related to the issue.

“The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights insists on a narrative biased against our country, repeating unfounded accusations while deliberately omitting the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the rights of the Venezuelan people,” Gil said in a message posted on his Telegram channel.

Without directly addressing the question of prisoner releases, the Venezuelan foreign minister also accused Türk of aligning with what he described as the “agenda of extremism in Venezuela.”

Gil added that, despite serious human rights violations occurring in other parts of the world, the UN official has chosen to maintain what he described as an “immoral bias” against Venezuela.

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The criticism is part of a broader dispute between the Venezuelan government and the UN human rights office over reports and investigations concerning the human rights situation in the country.