US, Canada send armoured vehicles to bolster Haiti’s police

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SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (AP) – The United States (US) and Canada sent armoured vehicles and other supplies to Haiti on Saturday to help police fight a powerful gang amid a pending request from the Haitian government for the immediate deployment of foreign troops.

A US State Department statement said the equipment was bought by Haiti’s government, but it did not provide further details on the supplies flown on military aircraft to the capital of Port-au-Prince.

A spokesman for the US military’s Southern Command said he could not provide further details on the supplies sent, though he added it was a joint operation involving the US Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force.

“This equipment will assist (Haiti’s National Police) in their fight against criminal actors who are fomenting violence and disrupting the flow of critically-needed humanitarian assistance, hindering efforts to halt the spread of cholera,” the State Department said.

The Pan American Health Organization said there are more than 560 suspected cases of cholera, some 300 hospitalisations and at least 35 deaths, with experts warning the numbers are likely much higher than what i’s being reported.

Protesters calling for the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry run after police fired tear gas to disperse them in the Delmas area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. PHOTO: AP