Colombian president visits southern Haiti as country battles surge in gang violence
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Colombian President Gustavo Petro visited Haiti on Wednesday as part of a whirlwind trip to strengthen ties with the violence-wracked country. He was expected to meet with officials and talk about potential joint projects focused on sectors including agriculture, technology and the economy, according to a statement from Petro’s office.
Petro arrived in the southern coastal city of Jacmel, bypassing the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, whose main international airport remains void of commercial air traffic ever since gangs opened fire on several airlines in November. His visit comes as Haiti’s prime minister and a transitional presidential council continue to reach out to various countries as Haitian police officers and a U.N.-backed mission led by Kenya struggle to contain gang violence.
“In a crucial moment for Haiti’s stability, Colombia reaffirms its commitment to the strengthening of democracy and the development of the region,” Petro’s office said. Prior to arriving in Haiti, Petro met with officials in the neighboring Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti.
Petro is one of only a handful of heads of state that have visited Haiti recently given a surge in gang violence that has prompted a growing number of leaders in the international community to call for a U.N.-peacekeeping mission in the Caribbean country, noting that the current Kenyan-led mission lacks funds and personnel.
