An official in Haiti said on Friday that his country decided to request military assistance from the international community to confront a humanitarian crisis caused by the blockade of the main fuel port, which led to suffocating crises.
Life in Haiti has been disrupted since an alliance of gangs surrounded the Faro gas station last month. The shortage of gas and diesel has paralyzed transportation and forced companies and hospitals to stop their work.
The shutdown of the plant also led to a shortage of bottled water at a time when the country announced a new outbreak of cholera which is being controlled through cleanliness and clean water.
“It was decided in the Cabinet last night… to request military assistance from the international community to deal with this massive humanitarian crisis,” a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Henry said in a text message.
It is not yet clear which countries will receive such a request. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body had not received a formal request from the Haitian government.
On Thursday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken wrote on Twitter that the United States remained committed to “helping Haiti restore security and democratic order.”
On Friday, Canada’s Foreign Ministry said that 19 member states of the Organization of American States meeting in Peru collectively affirmed their solidarity with Haiti.