US warships arrive off the coast of Haiti
US warships have arrived off the coast of Haiti as the country’s governing presidential council clings to power and drug gang violence escalates, US military officials said Tuesday.
“The US warships USS Stockdale, USCGC Stone and USCGC Diligence entered Port-au-Prince Bay, reflecting the United States’ unwavering commitment to Haiti’s security, stability and bright future,” according to a post by the US Embassy in Haiti on X.
The statement added that the flotilla was sent under the direction of Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth as part of “Operation Southern Spear” targeting drug traffickers in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific, which has so far killed more than 100 people in airstrikes on boats suspected of transporting drugs.
Tensions in Haiti escalated ahead of the expiration of the nine-member Transitional Presidential Council (TMC) on 7 February.
Although the council has agreed to step down, some of its members continue to engage in transitional governance projects, ignoring warnings from US officials that their mandate expires on Saturday.
Gang violence forced former Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign in 2024, and the country hasn’t seen elections since 2016, causing the collapse of government power and exacerbating security, health and economic crises.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, where it is controlled by rival armed gangs that don’t shy away from murder and rape.
The United States recently announced new visa restrictions targeting senior Haitian officials accused of supporting gangs.
