Haiti police break blockade of crucial fuel terminal
- Police said officers dislodged the bandits led by Jimmy Cherizier from the Varreux oil terminal after two months
- The gangs’ stranglehold on the port has stopped hospitals from offering critical services amid a cholera outbreak that has killed dozens and sickened thousands
Haitian police on Friday said they had gained control of the country’s main oil terminal, which had been in the hands of armed gangs for months, although clashes were reported to be still ongoing in the area.
“Police carried out an operation from Wednesday to Thursday with an aim of allowing the resumption of activity at the main oil terminal, which was hijacked by armed men,” Haiti’s national police said on Facebook.
“Several police units were deployed using armoured vehicles to dislodge the bandits” from the Varreux oil terminal, southwest of the capital Port-au-Prince, it added.
Armoured vehicles and men in uniform could be seen in a video posted on the police Facebook page showing “the operations that led to the release of the Varreux Terminal.”
Despite retaking the facility, however, “the operation continues,” a police source said late Friday.
Another source close to the company that manages the site added that “clashes continued between the police and bandits.”
Varreux supplies most of the oil products used in Haiti.
It fell under the control of gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, nicknamed “Barbecue,” on September 12, although gangs had moved in earlier.
The blockade of the facility led to a virtual paralysis of the country, aggravating the security, political and humanitarian crisis in the poor Caribbean nation.
The lack of fuel has forced petrol stations to shut down and prevented hospitals from offering critical services amid a cholera outbreak that has killed dozens and sickened thousands.
The situation alarmed foreign governments, which have sent help for Haiti’s National Police in recent weeks, including armoured vehicles to help fight the gangs, which have grown increasingly powerful since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
But foreign governments so far have not met Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s October 7 call for foreign troops.
Instead, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution two weeks ago that demanded an immediate end to violence and criminal activity in Haiti and placed sanctions on Cherizier, who faces a travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo.
In addition, the US Treasury Department on Friday announced sanctions against Haiti’s Senate president and a former senator following allegations they abused their positions to traffic drugs in collaboration with gang networks and directed others to engage in violence.
Additional reporting by Associated Press
