Vietnam advises citizens not to travel to conflict zones in Haiti

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the situation in Haiti has escalated very seriously, and advised Vietnamese citizens not to travel to areas where conflicts are occurring.

"The current violent situation in Haiti is very complicated, causing many deaths and injuries," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pham Thu Hang said on March 14 when asked about the protection of Vietnamese citizens in the face of the wave of violence in Haiti.

Ms. Hang said that about 70-80 Vietnamese people are living in Haiti and they are safe so far. Vietnam is closely monitoring the situation in Haiti and recommends that all citizens avoid going to areas where conflicts are taking place.

"Vietnamese citizens in the area need to closely monitor the situation, proactively take necessary safety measures and strictly comply with local government regulations, immediately contact the Vietnamese Embassy in Cuba and Haiti or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' citizen protection hotline when needing assistance," she said.

Haitian security forces patrol in the capital Port-au-Prince on March 9. Photo: Reuters

Gang violence has escalated in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince since late February, when Prime Minister Ariel Henry was on a trip to Kenya. Gangs have banded together to wage street violence in an effort to overthrow Henry's government .

The Haitian government declared a state of emergency on March 3 to "restore order and take appropriate measures to control the situation." Meanwhile, Jimmy Cherizier, a notorious gang leader in Haiti, warned on March 5 that the chaos in Port-au-Prince would lead to civil war and "genocide" if Mr. Henry did not resign.

Prime Minister Henry resigned on March 11 under pressure from gangs. Henry made the announcement after Caribbean leaders met with members of political parties, representatives of the private sector, civil society and Haitian religious groups in Jamaica to discuss the formation of a transitional council to pave the way for the country's first elections since 2016.

Vu Anh - Nguyen Tien

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