The Haitian government has recently prohibited all charter flights to Nicaragua, a popular route for migrants seeking to reach the United States, according to a bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. The decision, which was not explained in the bulletin, has left thousands of stranded travelers in a parking lot near Haiti’s main international airport in Port-au-Prince.
The ban has left many migrants frustrated and confused. Jean-Marc Antoine, a 29-year-old Haitian, expressed his disappointment in his home country, stating, “I have to seek a better life elsewhere because Haiti doesn’t offer my generation anything.” Antoine had borrowed $4,000 from his brother in Chile to purchase a plane ticket and now worries about getting his money back.
Marie-Ange Solomon, a 58-year-old woman, had paid $7,000 to leave Haiti with her son and has been unable to reach the charter company for information. She said, “After gathering money to get me and my son out this fragile country, now all of a sudden they stop everything. I thought I was going to be freed today.” Solomon anxiously watched over their bags while her son repeatedly checked the airport in case their names were called.
Since early August, over 260 flights departing Haiti have landed in Nicaragua, transporting an estimated 31,000 migrants. This surge in migration comes as Haiti’s crisis worsens, with gangs reportedly controlling up to 80% of Port-au-Prince. Manuel Orozco, director of the migration, remittances, and development program at the Inter-American Dialogue, revealed that these flights are a significant portion of all Haitian arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Charter flights to Nicaragua offer seats ranging from $3,000 to $5,000 and have become popular due to the absence of visa requirements for certain migrants. Orozco raised concerns about the security risks associated with the large number of flights, suggesting that the suspension may be a response to outside pressure. However, it remains unclear if the U.S. government played a role in this decision.
The halt in charter flights may prompt Haitian migrants to seek alternative routes to leave the country. Orozco predicted that they may turn to the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. However, tensions between the two nations have escalated over the construction of a canal in Haiti, resulting in the Dominican government ceasing visa issuances and closing the border to Haitians seeking employment, education, medical treatment, or other purposes.
As frustrations mount among the stranded passengers, some are questioning their future in Haiti. Jean Erode Louis-Saint, a 25-year-old who was unable to board his scheduled flight, expressed his desire to leave due to the lack of security caused by widespread gang activity. Many of these migrants have exhausted their options in Haiti and feel there are no opportunities for them.
By late afternoon, some passengers began to leave, uncertain of any sudden changes in plans. The situation highlights the difficult circumstances faced by Haitian migrants and the challenges they encounter in their quest for a better life.
