BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Police in Haiti have apprehended Nenel Cassy, a former senator, who is charged with conspiring against the state and financially supporting criminal organizations. His arrest took place on Saturday at a restaurant in Petionville, a wealthy suburb of Port-au-Prince, as confirmed by Haiti’s National Police through a Facebook post. The police shared images depicting Cassy in handcuffs alongside heavily armed officers clad in ski masks.
High-level arrests are uncommon in Haiti, where the government grapples with immense challenges in controlling areas that have been overtaken by gangs. Cassy has been labeled as a corrupt actor by the U.S. State Department in 2023. In February, Haitian police accused him of backing gang members responsible for violent attacks on Kenscoff, a neighborhood situated 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Port-au-Prince that hosts much of the nation’s elite. Until these recent events, Kenscoff had largely been spared from the pervasive gang violence affecting other parts of the country.
In February, gangs unleashed deadly assaults in Kenscoff, resulting in the deaths of dozens. Since then, the neighborhood has increasingly come under threat as gangs attempt to expand their territorial control. On Sunday, the mayor of Kenscoff, Massillon Jean, disclosed to The Associated Press that nine workers were abducted from an orphanage in the area by armed men, including one foreign national whose citizenship remains unverified. The kidnapping incident occurred around 2 a.m.
The orphanage affected by the attack is operated by Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH), an international charity headquartered in Mexico and France, known for its support of vulnerable children. NPH reports that the facility provides shelter for over 240 children. In a statement on Sunday, NPH indicated that seven staff members and one youth were taken from their home for at-risk children in Kenscoff. Notably, one of the staff members involved is a foreign individual, whose identity and nationality will remain undisclosed for security purposes. Additionally, NPH announced that two hospitals they run in Haiti will be temporarily closed until those abducted from the orphanage are safely released.
According to the United Nations, gangs currently exert control over 90% of Haiti’s capital. Recently, these gangs have intensified their attacks on previously peaceful communities, revealing the deteriorating security situation in the country. In 2022 alone, more than 5,600 individuals were reported killed as a consequence of escalating gang violence, which has displaced over 1 million people in recent years. The United Nations reported a troubling spike in kidnappings as well; between April and June of this year, there were 185 documented cases, with gangs resorting to this crime to "subjugate" populations in territories under their domination.
This alarming trend highlights the pervasive issues within Haiti, where both government and law enforcement face significant hurdles in restoring order and safety to the community. The high-profile arrest of a former senator adds a noteworthy twist to the narrative but may also underline the complexities and challenges faced by authorities in addressing corruption and gang violence in a nation profoundly affected by instability and lawlessness.
