The federal government has sent armoured vehicles and other supplies to Haiti to help police fight a powerful gang amid a pending request from the Haitian government for the immediate deployment of foreign troops.
The coordinated shipment is a joint operation between Canada and the U.S.
A standoff between a powerful gang federation and Haiti’s government is testing how much power both sides wield and threatens to further derail a paralyzed country where millions of people are struggling to find fuel and water.
Canada said in a statement with the U.S. it remains committed to supporting the Haitian National Police and its effort to train more officers.
The equipment arrived more than a month after one of Haiti’s most powerful gangs surrounded a fuel terminal and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Demonstrators also have blocked roads in major cities to protest a sharp rise in fuel prices after Henry announced in early September that his administration could no longer afford to subsidize fuel.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published October 16, 2022.
The Canadian Press
