(Reuters) – Haiti is preparing to seek military assistance from the international community to confront gangs that have blocked the country’s principal fuel port, the Miami Herald reported today, citing sources with knowledge of the decision.
The government of Prime Minister Ariel Henry plans to make the written request today to allied nations, without specifying where the troops should come from, the Herald reported.
A representative of the prime minister’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
Haiti has ground to a halt since a coalition of gangs blocked the Varreux fuel terminal last month. The lack of gas and diesel has crippled transportation and forced businesses and hospitals to halt operations.
It has also led to a shortage of bottled water, just as the country has confirmed a new outbreak of cholera – the spread of which is controlled through hygiene and clean water.