CNN
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Haitian government says it has regained control of the main gas station in the capital Port-au-Prince, ending a gang squeeze over the key energy facility.
The news follows two weeks of negotiations with Haitian gang leader Jimmy Cherizier to relinquish control of Varreux station, according to Haitian politician Dr Harrison Ernest, who has met both Cherizier and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Chérizier, also known as “Bar Grill”, is the leader of G9, a confederation of more than a dozen Haitian gangs based in Port-au-Prince.
“I spoke to Barbeque and told them to leave the station because the kids need to go back to school. And we urge the government to do their part to make sure there is fuel and the fuel needed to reach customers,” said Ernest, a Haitian doctor and politician from the country’s Konstwi Lavi party.
Konstwi Lavi has “played the role of mediator between the government and the gang that blocked off the gas station,” Ernest added.
“We’ve been working for two weeks with the government and the gangs to unlock the fuel.”
The Haitian government has denied that it has negotiated with the G9 to reopen the station, although an adviser to Henry told CNN that the Caribbean nation’s leader met with Ernest.
“We don’t deal with gangs and we don’t negotiate with gangs, we want schools to reopen and resume economic activities as soon as possible. The prime minister met (Ernest) but they did not engage in any negotiations with the gangs on our behalf,” said special counsel Jean Junior Joseph.
Haitian National Police spokesman Gary Desrosiers also confirmed that Varreux station is now under police control. The terminal, located southwest of Port-au-Prince, supplies most of the oil in Haiti. It has been blockaded by G9 gang members for the past six weeks, blocking access to fuel in the country.
A senior security source told CNN.
But greater Haitian fuel relief is still in the way as access to the terminal remains blocked by shipping containers and other obstacles.
The source said several armored vehicles of the Haitian National Police were seen in the area around Varreux, but so far there has been no movement of trucks and no personnel or personnel at the station to work again.
The Haitian government requested international military assistance nearly a month ago when it struggled with issues related to health, energy and security.
Anti-government protests have also paralyzed the country, with schools, businesses and public transport across the country largely closed.
Since August 22, Haitians have been protesting against persistent gang violence, poverty, food insecurity, inflation and fuel shortages.
