The U.S. sent its last government-chartered evacuation plane to Haiti on Friday, making it one of the last chances for nationals to escape the chaos-engulfed country for the foreseeable future.
The plane is set to arrive in South Florida on Friday afternoon, CBS News reported, and the State Department has so far said that there are no flights scheduled after the one today.
Ron DeSantis' administration in Florida has also evacuated U.S. nationals from the country, the same being the case for some private initiatives. Most flights departed from the northern city of Cap-Haïtien as the capital, Port-au-Prince, remains engulfed in chaos.
Violence continues to dominate the Caribbean nation while its authorities advance slowly to form a transitional council tasked with appointing a new Prime Minister, deal with the gangs that control most of the capital and pave the way to elections in 2026.
The Associated Press reported that gunfire continues to be heard in the streets, forcing charities to suspend care for citizens.
The UN's World Food Program said Thursday that, even though it had expanded its operations to provide food assistance, the amount of people going hungry in Haiti has reached record highs.
The agency added that it risks running out of food by the end of the month as airports and ports in the country continue to be severely hampered by the fighting.
Due to weeks of ongoing gang violence, there are about 18 hospitals that have stopped their operations.
The country's state of emergency has been extended until at least May 3 and the curfew is in place until April 17. Over 50,000 people have fled from capital Port-au-Prince over the past weeks.
A group of lawmakers and advocates came together on Thursday to urge the Biden administration to address the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Caribbean nation.
Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), and Rep. Cori Bush (MO-01) were present in the event.
The former said that the crisis, which has escalated since late February, "demands a humanitarian response, and the United States must take action to stabilize Haiti and save lives."
Among the lawmakers and advocates' were the Biden administration: "extend and redesignate TPS for Haiti," "stop all plans to detain Haitians interdicted at sea at Guantanamo Bay or offshore detention centers," and "Halt all removals to Haiti by land or sea."
"We have a moral obligation to protect Haitians fleeing these horrific conditions, and to support Haitian-led solutions that ensure democracy and stability," said Representative Cori Bush.
© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
