'Down with America!' Riots Rock Haiti, Five Americans Arrested in the Melee
Riots in the capital of Haiti have continued as the demand for President Jovenel Moise's resignation increases.
The country has seen continual violent protests since early February. Hundreds of rioters are protesting the country's growing inflation and government corruption. Moise is accused of several embezzlement cases and other economic mismanagement problems.
The protestors have ransacked stores and hospitals and set cars on fire. CBN News recently reported the US State Department advised Americans to not travel to Haiti. Missionaries in the country managed to flee this past weekend, while other missionaries have halted plans to travel.
In an interview with CBN News, Haitian native Gloria Rapaka of Love and Hope Ministries shared about the grueling circumstances in Haiti.
"What we thought was gonna be a day of protest ended up going on more than nine days," said Rapaka. "The people came out in the streets and just burning tires, blowed rocks. We couldn't go out. We came to a point where there was no fuel in the country. So we were getting 15 to 20 minutes electricity per day."
As the violence got worse, Rapaka said her family no longer had access to water, electricity, and fuel. She and her family are some of the missionaries that have since fled from Haiti.
Some of the protestors were seen burning American flags and chanting, "Down with America, long live Putin." And multiple news outlets have reported five Americans have been arrested on conspiracy charges. Haiti's Foreign Minister Bocchit Edmond confirmed the arrests according to FOX 13.
Though some businesses and government offices have reopened, protestors have demanded Moise's resignation before they'll stop their riots.
"They say they're not going to stop until the president leaves and the president is not leaving," said Rapaka.
Moise has reiterated his intentions to serve the remaining three years of his term. Haiti's Prime Minister Jean-Henry Ceant has stated an investigation has been established to investigate the corruption charges and that some of the government budgets have been cut by 30 percent.
