The US State Department on Thursday ordered the departure of non-emergency personnel from Haiti as the security situation in the country deteriorates.
“On July 27, 2023, the Department of State ordered the departure of family members of U.S. government employees and non-emergency U.S. government employees,” the agency said in an updated travel advisory.
“U.S. citizens in Haiti should depart Haiti as soon as possible by commercial or other privately available transportation options, in light of the current security situation and infrastructure challenges,” the travel advisory urges. “U.S. citizens wishing to depart Port-au-Prince should monitor local news and only do so when considered safe.”
The order follows a travel advisory from the US Embassy in Haiti on Thursday, advising US nationals to leave the country immediately using commercial transportation due to recent armed clashes between criminal groups and police in Port-au-Prince.
The Department of State warned in a statement of a high threat of violent crime and kidnapping throughout the city. It added that the US government’s capacity to provide emergency services to US citizens in Haiti is severely constrained.
“Given the recent armed clashes between gangs and the police and the high threat of violent crime and kidnapping throughout Port-au-Prince, the Department of State urges U.S. citizens to make plans to depart Haiti as soon as possible via commercial means,” the earlier advisory stated.
“The most recent violent clashes have particularly affected the neighborhoods of Vivy Michel, Tabarre, Torcel, Tapage and Trutier. The U.S. government is extremely limited in its ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Haiti,” it continued.
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