Haitian Capital in Crisis: Escaped Prisoners, Police Pleas, and Gang Attacks

Hundreds of prisoners escaped from Haiti’s National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince amid escalating violence, with gangs attacking police stations, the international airport, and the penitentiary. Gang leader Jimmy Cherizier called for the arrest of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who had failed to curb the unrest and missed a deadline to transfer power. The recent surge in violence has led to over 1,100 people being killed, injured, or kidnapped in January alone, prompting the US Embassy to issue a security alert and airlines to suspend flights.