Blinken visits Haiti to show US support in bid to stamp out gang violence

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Haiti on Thursday to show Washington’s support in the fight against gangs and to push for free elections in the Caribbean country.

Blinken announced $45 million in new humanitarian aid for Haiti, bringing total US aid to over $210 million this year, and called on other countries to help finance the United Nations-backed security force sent to help stabilize the country.

The mission is being led by Kenya, with 380 police officers arriving in the capital Port-au-Prince in June from an expected total of 1,000. Although other countries have pledged at least 1,900 more troops and millions of dollars in support, only $63 million has been paid into the UN's trust fund for the mission.

"At this critical moment, you do need more funding. We do need more personnel to sustain and carry out the objectives of this mission," Blinken said at a press conference held in Port-au-Prince.

The top diplomat called for renewing the mandate for the security mission, which is set to expire at the start of October.

"The mission itself needs to be renewed. That's what we're working on right now. But we also want something that's reliable, that's sustainable, and we'll look at every option to do that; a UN peacekeeping mission is one option," Blinken said.

The Secretary of State said the US supports the Haitian police as they combat the gangs that control much of the violence-stricken nation and then sent a message.

“The Haitian people, not Haitian gangs, will write the country's future,” he said, as he urged Haitian authorities to put the country on track for elections next year.

Haiti's last elections were held in 2016, and authorities have blamed gang violence and political unrest for preventing them from holding new polls.

Blinken arrived a day after Haiti’s government extended a state of emergency to the entire country. He met with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and a nine-member transitional presidential council that was created after former Prime Minister Ariel Henry stepped down.

He will then continue to the Dominican Republic to meet with President Luis Abinader.