DeSantis rescues more than 700 Floridians from Haiti as prime minister resigns amid gang violence

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ADN America

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the State of Florida has rescued 700 Floridians from the spiraling violence in Haiti as the country plunges further into leaderless chaos, according to the State of Florida.

The Florida governor’s announcement came on April 24, the day before Haiti's prime minister, Ariel Henry, resigned and handed power over to transitional council charged with the mission to lead the country amid continuing gang violence.

 

Henry said last month he would resign his post after armed gangs most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, including airports, forcing the president into temporary exile in Puerto Rico. Since then, the Haitian gangs have only become more powerful, taking advantage of the collapsing government infrastructure and taken control over different parts of the country.

The turmoil left hundreds of stranded Americans in grave danger.  

 

“The State of Florida doesn’t shy away from doing the right thing and helping Americans in need,” DeSantis said. “I’m proud to announce that despite the lack of cooperation from the federal government, more than 700 Americans have been successfully evacuated from Haiti to Florida.”

On March 20, 2024, the Florida Division of Emergency Management began rescue operations and has so far successfully rescued 722 Americans from Haiti.