Dominican Republic announces release of kidnapped diplomat in Haiti

Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - A diplomat from the Dominican Republic was released four days after being kidnapped in Haiti, the Dominican Minister of Foreign Affairs, Roberto Alvarez, announced early Wednesday morning.

"Fortunately, Carlitin Guillen Tatis, an adviser to the Dominican embassy in Haiti, has been released safe and sound following four days of kidnapping. We thank all those who actively participated in his release," Alvarez posted on his Twitter account, without giving further details of the release.

According to information from the Dominican embassy in Port-au-Prince, Guillen Tatis was kidnapped last Friday in the Croix-des-Bouquets area, on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, while he traveled to the border between the two countries.

The area is controlled by the 400 Mawozo gang, one of the country's oldest and most feared gangs, which became known a few months ago for the kidnapping of 16 American missionaries and one Canadian.

Dominican media reported that the gang had demanded $500,000 for Guillen's release.

The news of the release comes hours after Haiti's national police reported that Germine Joly, the leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, was extradited to the United States.

In recent months, tensions have been rising amid criminal gang violence, kidnappings, robberies and other criminal activities in Haiti, a country undergoing an acute political and institutional crisis, which has plunged Haitians into deep uncertainty about the future.

For the past month, the 400 Mawozo and Chen Mechan gangs have been fighting for control of several neighborhoods in the north of the capital, clashes that have caused the death of hundreds of people and entire families to flee.

The humanitarian situation on the Caribbean island has worsened since the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021 and Prime Minister Ariel Henry's departure from power on Feb. 7 has worsened the deep instability the country is experiencing. ​​​​​​​