New gang attacks in Port-au-Prince
Feb. 26, 2025
Haiti’s gang coalition, Viv Ansanm, killed at least 15 people as it targeted a new neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, the latest in the battle for territorial control of the country’s capital. The gangs use violence to terrify residents — there are reports of people, including a child, being set on fire in yesterday’s attack on Delmas 30, reports the Miami Herald.
Local media reported that two Haitian soldiers were among the victims, reports the Associated Press.
Last year, more than 5,600 people were reported killed across Haiti. More than 1 million Haitians - close to 10% of the country - have been internally displaced due to a years-long conflict in criminal groups have consolidated their control over much of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, reports Reuters.
Colombia
Colombian President Gustavo Petro named Armando Benedetti as the country's new interior minister. The move confirms the controversial official’s place in the presidential inner circle ”despite several scandals involving the ex-lawmaker and resistance from others in the cabinet,” reports Reuters.
But Benedetti’s new post could serve Petro’s stalled legislative agenda, and “suggests the president is taking a pragmatic turn,” reports Bloomberg.
Colombia risks sliding back into its violent past as armed groups exploit the the Petro administration’s stumbling peace strategy, former president Juan Manuel Santos told the Guardian. Santos said that negotiating with armed groups requires tact, extensive research and planning. “You need to know what your objectives are. You need to know what your red lines are. And you need to know what you want to achieve. None of that was present. It was improvised, there was no planning and they had no idea who they were negotiating with,” he said.
Chile
Chilean authorities declared a state of emergency and overnight curfew after a sweeping blackout affected 8 million people, sending the army and national police officers to patrol the streets. (Associated Press and New York Times)
Regional Relations
Trinidad and Tobago plans to ask U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to extend a license for Shell and Trinidad's National Gas Company to develop a key gas project in Venezuela, reports Reuters.
Venezuela
A Venezuelan opposition activist, Reinaldo Araujo, who was arrested during anti-government protests in January has died in jail. He had been suffering from health problems, which his wife said were not treated while he was in prison, reports the BBC.
Argentina
Argentina’s government has responded to wildfires devastating the Patagonia region with a repressive crackdown on local communities, saying criminals started the conflagrations — downplaying other factors such as the impact of increasing tourism, pine plantations or inadequate maintenance of the electricity infrastructure. While scientists say climate change increases the risk of wildfires, the Milei administration denies the climate crisis and has imposed budget cuts on its environmental agencies. In 2024, the National Fire Management System budget alone was cut by 81%, reports the Guardian.