The World Briefly

September 20, 2022

Spiraling

Haiti

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Thousands of Haitians are facing water shortages this week following days of nationwide riots that virtually halted the distribution of water, with concern growing that the crisis will be worsened by an approaching hurricane, Reuters reported.

Mass violent protests erupted in the Caribbean country last week after the government announced a hike in the price of fuel.

Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry said the government could no longer subsidize fuel prices, saying it was fueling a lucrative black market and costing the state $400 million annually, according to the Miami Herald.

In response, many Haitians took to the streets across the country, blocking roads, and attacking schools, foreign embassies, banks and warehouses.

The unrest forced residents in the capital of Port-au-Prince to shelter at home amid gunfire and looting. It also slowed and in places halted the delivery of water by truck in the city, where daily temperatures have reached 93 degrees Fahrenheit.

Haiti has been grappling with surging prices, worsening gang violence and an ongoing political crisis exacerbated by the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

At the same time, climate observers warned that Hurricane Fiona could cause flooding in the country’s northern regions.

On Sunday, Henry appealed for calm and condemned the violence, but protests continued. A civil society-led coalition has condemned the recent fuel price hikes and called for Henry’s resignation.

Meanwhile, more than 100 groups in the US called on President Joe Biden to withdraw his support for the embattled prime minister.

This story originally appeared in the September 20, 2022 newsletter, Apple from the Tree.