If you’re packing your bags and going on vacation overseas, take heed, because the U.S. is reminding travelers to avoid a certain Caribbean country this summer.
On July 15, the United States Department of State reissued its most severe travel advisory for Haiti, warning all Americans not to travel to the Caribbean country for any reason, due to kidnapping, crime, terrorist activity, civil unrest, and limited health care.
But the warning against traveling to the dangerous country isn’t anything new as the country has been seen as a high-risk travel destination for quite some time. The advisory was updated on Tuesday morning to include the risk of terrorist violence.
“In July 2023, the Department of State ordered nonemergency U.S. government employees and their family members to leave the country due to security risks,”
the latest advisory reads.
“Haiti has been under a State of Emergency since March 2024. Crimes involving firearms are common in Haiti. They include robbery, carjackings, sexual assault, and kidnappings for ransom. Do not travel to Haiti for any reason.”
As outlined in the advisory, kidnapping is a huge factor and is widespread, to which “U.S. citizens have been victims and have been hurt or killed.” Once taken, U.S. victims’ families have paid tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars to rescue family members.
Besides the threat of kidnapping and robbery, Haiti is at an increased risk of violent crime and terrorism, which places travelers at an increased risk even if they aren’t involved in the violence.
The travel advisory warns that “there is widespread violent crime and organized crime in the country, and local law enforcement has limited ability to respond to serious crimes. Violent crime is rampant in Haiti, especially in Port-au-Prince, where the expansion of gang, organized crime, and terrorist activity has led to widespread violence, kidnappings, and sexual assault. The escalation of clashes between armed groups has led to a rise in sporadic gunfire incidents. There is a substantial risk of being struck by stray bullets, even for individuals not directly involved in the violence.”
“There is risk of terrorist violence, including attacks and other violent gang activity in Haiti. There are gangs that are designated as terrorist organizations present in Haiti.”
It’s also worth noting that the United States warns that it’s limited in its ability to offer assistance to anyone who chooses to travel to Haiti.
“The U.S. government is very limited in its ability to help U.S. citizens in Haiti. Local police and first responders often do not have enough resources. This limits their ability to respond to emergencies or serious crimes. Shortages of gasoline, electricity, medicine, and medical supplies are common throughout the country. Public and private clinics, as well as hospitals, have untrained staff and lack basic resources. Medical providers almost always require upfront payment in cash,” the advisory warns.
Keep in mind that there are four levels of travel advisories from the State Department, with the Level 4 advisory, which was given to Haiti, being the most severe.
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