https://ift.tt/PZiurBh United States plans to increase security and humanitarian assistance to the people of Haiti, while imposing visa restrictions on current and former officials involved in criminal gang operations that are blocking supplies as the Caribbean nation battles an outbreak of cholera.
But the U.S. is still reviewing Haiti’s request for an international specialized armed force to stop gang violence in the island nation.
On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington is accelerating the delivery of additional humanitarian relief to Haiti, as well as working to “increase and deploy in the coming days security assistance to the Haitian National Police.”
Blinken also said in a statement that the U.S. is “announcing a new visa restriction policy under section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act” against Haitian officials and other individuals involved in the operation of street gangs and criminal organizations that are blocking lifesaving humanitarian support. Such actions may also apply to these individuals’ immediate family members.
Heavily armed gangs control parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and have blocked access to the country’s main fuel terminal since mid-September. This has worsened the already dire humanitarian situation, affecting the availability of electricity, clean water, garbage collection and the ability of hospitals to operate at a time when the country is facing a deadly resurgence of cholera.
The U.S. Coast Guard will deploy one of its cutters to patrol off the coast of Port-au-Prince at the request of the Haitian government.
The U.S. did not disclose the amount of the increase in aid.
“In addition to the security response, we’ve provided since last year over $171 million in lifesaving humanitarian assistance to Haiti, as well as $90 million to strengthen the Haitian National Police,” a senior administration official told reporters on Wednesday during a briefing. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as is customary when briefing reporters.