Only 80 kilometers separate it from the violent capital of Haiti, but in the city of Jacmel tranquility reigns, and this has made it the destination of hundreds of people fleeing the terror imposed by armed gangs in Port-au-Prince, whose actions caused more than 5,600 violent deaths last year in this impoverished Caribbean country.
Joane, 45, lived and grew up in Delmas 24, in the Solino neighborhood, not far from the center of Port-au-Prince, but in April 2024 she was forced to move to Jacmel, where she claims to have found tranquility.
“Everyone fled the neighborhood. We run away at night without being able to take anything,” the woman told EFE, who tries to remake her life in Jacmel, doing what she likes most: selling handicrafts.
Since then, everything has changed for her. He has regained the tranquility he lost so long ago. “In terms of security, it’s totally different from Port-au-Prince. There are no problems with armed gangs,” he added.
The exodus to Jacmel, known for its paradisiacal beaches, dates back to 2018, when people began to leave the Haitian capital en masse. In the streets, in markets or on public transport, the people interviewed by EFE repeat the same phrase: “We left Port-au-Prince because of insecurity.
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The capital “is hell, even if they pay me to live there, I don’t go,” said a plumber while doing some work in a house in this city, decorated these days on the occasion of the visit last Wednesday of the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro.
The metropolitan area of Port-au-au-Prince, where at least a third of the Haitian population lives, is experiencing an upsurge in insecurity marked by the increase in massacres and armed attacks, gang rapes, robberies, murders and kidnappings to ask for ransom.
Thousands of people are forced to take refuge in unclean camps, leave the capital or simply flee the country, seeking refuge elsewhere.
At least 85% of the metropolitan area is in the hands of armed gangs, which multiply the number of tolls, the price of public transport and even basic necessities, throwing at least 1 in 2 Haitians into food insecurity.
Port-au-Prince is becoming an open-air prison, where the free movement of people and goods has ceased to exist. The entire city center, the economic heart of the country, has been destroyed to such an extent that it seems to have been shaken by a great earthquake.
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In Jacmel, however, the reality is very different. People can move freely in the streets and neighborhoods.
With more than 180,000 inhabitants, Jacmel impresses with its beaches and waterfalls, its places and historical sites, its unique urbanism and architectural heritage, and its welcoming and proud people of its city, the first to be electrified in the Caribbean region in 1895, and the place where the flag of Gran Colombia was created in the 19th century.
It is a highly cultural, historical and tourist destination. Its annual carnival stands out for its multiple colors, its masks and its festive atmosphere.
Activities that had completely disappeared in the Port-au-Prince region are rediscovered in Jacmel. For example, students doing their homework in public and illuminated places.
“As soon as everything returns to normal, I will return to Port-au-Prince,” Joane said.
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In recent years, the attempts of the gang members to settle in Jacmel have failed. Some have been murdered and others arrested in this small town where everyone knows each other and where the inhabitants only find out what happens in the capital through the news.
King Charles III expresses deep sadness after Vancouver festival tragedy that left nine dead
King Charles III of the United Kingdom, head of state of Canada, expressed his “deep sadness” along with Queen Camilla on Sunday, after a driver plowed into a crowd on Saturday in Vancouver during a street festival, leaving nine dead.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with all those whose lives have been shattered by this terrible tragedy, and we offer our deepest condolences during this time of distress for so many in Canada,” the monarch wrote in a message on X.
The multiple-hit-and-run incident occurred on Saturday after 8:00 pm (03:00 GMT Sunday) when members of the Filipino community were celebrating Lapu Lapu Day, authorities reported.
The street festival commemorates a 16th-century Filipino anti-colonial leader and took place the weekend before the Canadian elections. “At this time, we can confirm that nine people have died after a man ran into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival last night,” the police said on X.
Nine dead after driver runs over crowd at Vancouver Street Festival
Nine people were killed when a driver ran over a crowd during a street festival in the Canadian city of Vancouver, the police reported.
“Several people have died and several others were injured,” the Vancouver police said on X. “The driver is in custody,” they added. The incident occurred when members of the Filipino community gathered to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day, as posted on X by Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim.
The festival commemorates a 16th-century Filipino anti-colonial leader.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time,” added Sim.
Cardinals seek a “unifier” as they prepare for conclave to elect new pope
Several cardinals who will participate in the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor said they are approaching the mission with “apprehension,” “responsibility,” and “hope,” while also beginning to outline the profile of the next pope: a “unifier.”
The 12-year pontificate of the first Latin American pope was marked by reforms and a simple style, which earned him strong opposition from the Church’s most conservative sectors, with his predecessor Benedict XVI as a symbol of that resistance. “The task before us these days is greater than us, and yet it is a duty we must fulfill,” summarized French Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline during a mass in Rome on Thursday evening.
A few meters away, Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich admitted to journalists that he approaches the conclave “with a certain apprehension,” but also with “great hope.”
“We feel very small. We must make decisions for the entire Church, so please pray for us,” added the Jesuit cardinal, who was a close advisor to the Argentine pontiff. He estimated that the conclave would “probably” begin on May 5 or 6, after the nine-day mourning period at the Vatican known as the Novendiales.
