Is it currently safe in 2018/going-on 2019 for an American to travel to Haiti? Is it at least safe to visit Port au Prince? I am an Asian American who can speak minimal French.
That is kind of a loaded question? Do you consider Chicago safe? How about Memphis or St. Louis?
Haiti is a failed state. There is crime and extrajudicial killings. Political discontent leads to protests that can spring up very quickly. The police force is not particularly effective in maintaining or restoring order. Parts are still in the process of rebuilding after the earthquake, poverty and disease abounds.
You can just as easily become a victim of a crime or physical violence as you can tour the country problem free. It's a lottery kind of like being stuck by lightning. There are things you can do to prevent being struck but if you fail to exercise common sense or follow the rules, you chances increase accordingly.
"We" can't tell you that you will be safe or that you won't be. None of us can see the future and non of us will be making the on the spot decisions that you will should you choose to go to Haiti.
I have never had any real desire to go there so for me the choice to stay away is an easy one. That is not what you want to hear so from my completely subjective point of view, I'd rate Haiti a 4.0 - 4.5 out of 10. Where 10 as safe as it can be a la Iceland and 1 being the most unsafe a la Syria. As a reference I consider the DR to be a 5.0 - 5.5.
There is definitely an elevated personal risk associated with travelling in Haiti. For me, the risk is such that without a pressing reason to go there, I prefer not to. Others may feel differently. Unfortunately without a functioning crystal ball, no one can be certain what will happen in any given place at any given time. Wrong place, wrong time can be anywhere and everywhere.
Is it currently safe in 2018/going-on 2019 for an American to travel to Haiti? Is it at least safe to visit Port au Prince? I am an Asian American who can speak minimal French.
do your homework, and check the advisories put out by the dept of state. As another poster stated, you sound kind of paranoid, and should probably remain in fargo,
France was not a party to PetroCaribe corruption. THAT is the genesis of Haiti's current violence. Haitians are P.O.'d that there is no accountability on $3.8 billion that has gone missing.Start of the current issues - pretty much the same as in France -- https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/14/...prime-minister-jack-guy-lafontant-quits-.html
France was not a party to PetroCaribe corruption. THAT is the genesis of Haiti's current violence. Haitians are P.O.'d that there is no accountability on $3.8 billion that has gone missing.
In France, the increase in fuel prices is just the straw that broke the camel's back. Anger over immigration and other cultural issues has been burbling below the surface for years, and the PC EU, and "progressive" French gubmint do-gooders have ignored the angst of their own citizens.
Every one of my Haitian contact claim the PetroCaribe scandal is THE reason for recent violence. I have to think that Haiti is a tinderbox anyway.If you look at the US Embassy alert system - https://ht.usembassy.gov/category/alert/ you can see that all non essential embassy personnel were voluntarily evacuated from Haiti @July 13, 2018
the Petro Caribe issue - sizzling for over a year - sparked in August -adding fuel onto an already burning fire
https://www.newyorker.com/news/news...he-government-has-done-with-missing-oil-money
Every one of my Haitian contact claim the PetroCaribe scandal is THE reason for recent violence. I have to think that Haiti is a tinderbox anyway.