US to Review Haiti's Call for Aid to Address Humanitarian, Security Situation

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States will review Haiti's request for foreign assistance to alleviate the precarious humanitarian and security situation, as the Caribbean struggles to respond to civil unrest and gang violence, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Saturday.

The Miami Herald reported on Friday that Haiti's interim government agreed to request the help of foreign military forces to respond to the crisis paralyzing the country.

Price said that Washington was "closely following the worsening health and security situation in Haiti," in particular criminal actions that hinder "urgent measures to address the threat posed by the spread of cholera to the Haitian population."

"In that context, we will review the Government of Haiti's request in coordination with international partners and determine how we can increase our support to help address Haiti’s fuel shortage and security constraints, which are disrupting the flow of humanitarian assistance and support for lifesaving measures aimed at halting the spread of cholera," the spokesperson noted.

According to The Miami Herald, Haitian authorities, faced with mass protests, riots, and armed gangs, expect foreign partners to restore fuel supplies from the Varreux terminal and combat the cholera outbreak.

Haiti has long experienced social, political, and financial instability. The woes only deepened after the devastating earthquake and the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021.

Since the assassination of Moise, the country’s already understaffed law enforcement agencies have struggled to keep crime at bay as gangs continue to gain in strength.