The United States Embassy in Haiti issued a security alert this Friday, advising its citizens not to travel to the Caribbean country, a recommendation that the Department of State has maintained at level 4 (do not travel). In a message posted on its Facebook page, the diplomatic mission indicated that Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince continues to face severe restrictions and that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration in Port-au-Prince has reduced its staff since July 28, 2023, limiting regular consular services.
The alert comes amid rumors on social media about possible attacks prepared by armed gangs in Port-au-Prince, a locality controlled 85% by these groups, generating fear among the population. Shootings have also been reported in some areas of the metropolitan region. According to the United Nations Office for Human Rights, at least 5,601 people lost their lives in Haiti in 2024 due to actions by criminal gangs, an increase of one thousand victims compared to the previous year, in addition to 2,212 injured and 1,494 kidnapped.
The U.S. government is not coordinating evacuations at present and has urged its citizens to utilize commercial options to exit Haiti safely. The U.S. embassy has prohibited U.S. airlines and commercial operators from providing services in the Haitian capital. Despite these restrictions, commercial airlines continue to operate daily flights between Cap-Haïtien, in northern Haiti, and Miami, Florida, U.S.
