A senior Haitian security official has been kidnapped in Port-au-Prince, the latest escalation in a spiralling security crisis that has left the Caribbean nation in a state of near-collapse. The official, whose identity remains undisclosed for safety reasons, was taken from his vehicle in the capital’s volatile Delmas district late last night. According to local police sources, armed men blocked the road and forced the official into a waiting pickup truck.
The kidnapping comes as the UK government confirms that Royal Navy assets are on standby to assist with potential evacuations of British nationals, should the situation deteriorate further. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson stated: 'We are monitoring the situation in Haiti closely. HMS Protector is in the region and ready to provide support if required.'
Haiti has been gripped by a wave of gang violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Gangs now control an estimated 80 per cent of Port-au-Prince. The country’s transitional government has struggled to assert authority, and a UN-backed security mission led by Kenya has been slow to deploy.
For the Haitian people, this is not just a crisis of politics but of survival. Prices for staple foods like rice and cooking oil have soared by over 50 per cent in the past year. The local currency, the gourde, has lost a third of its value against the dollar. 'We cannot afford to eat,' says Marie-Claire, a street vendor in the capital’s market district. 'Every day I wonder if my children will have food. Now we are told a kidnapping has happened. We are not safe.'
The UK’s role is being watched closely. The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice, urging all British nationals to leave immediately or find safe shelter. Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, Kim Johnson, called on the government to outline a clear humanitarian plan. 'This is the result of years of neglect and instability. The UK cannot just stand by and wait for the next catastrophe.'
The reality for working families in Haiti is stark. The economy, already fragile, is in freefall. Factories in the garment sector have shut down, leaving thousands jobless. Remittances from the diaspora, a lifeline for many, are drying up as the cost of transfer fees rises. The kidnapping of a security official is a symptom of a system that has failed its citizens.
As the sun sets over Port-au-Prince, the streets are eerily quiet. Parents keep children indoors. Shops close early. The only sounds are the distant crackle of gunfire and the hum of generators in hotels housing foreign journalists. The question on every mind is: who is next?
