TAMPA, Fla. — As tensions rise in Haiti, a rescue mission to bring home stranded Americans is set to launch from Tampa Bay.
Project Dynamo announced it's gearing up for "Operation: RUM RUNNER" to evacuate more than two dozen Americans currently unable to leave, according to CEO Bryan Stern.
Over the past month, violence in Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince has escalated. Organized gang attacks on prisons, law enforcement and the international airport have displaced an estimated 15,000 people. Prominent gang leader Jimmy "Barbeque" Cherizier announced on March 5 that the different gangs would band together and start a "civil war" if the country's current leader and Prime Minister did not resign.
Roughly one week later, he announced he would step down but has not been able to return to Haiti because of the closed access to the airport.
Project Dynamo is a veteran-led non-profit that depends on donations to operate. It uses those funds to facilitate rescues by whatever means necessary, whether it be by boat or air, depending on what's possible. They often step in when and where governments are not able to reach.
Stern said the group's main focus is on the most violent areas within Haiti where people are most at risk, which poses a challenge for evacuations. Another aspect Project Dynamo will have to navigate is how the gangs operate.
"It's a challenge, right? The gangs out there are decentralized, so even if the leaders of the gangs say 'Let's do a ceasefire,' it doesn't mean anyone follows it," Stern said. "They're shooting people in the streets, so it's incredibly dangerous."
The United Nations estimates that since the start of the year, "a staggering 1,193 people have been killed, and 692 others injured by gang violence."
Gang leaders have stood united in calling for Prime Minister Ariel Henry to step down because he has persistently pushed back a presidential election since becoming the country's leader after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Gang violence has gotten worse since the assassination sent Haiti into a period of severe political instability and corruption.
If you know someone needing evacuation from Haiti, you can request Project Dynamo's assistance on their website. You can make donations through that website, as well.