Haiti Gang Kidnaps Dominican Republic Diplomat, Demands $500,000 Ransom for His Release

Haiti's 400 Mawozo gang was behind the kidnapping of a Dominican Republic diplomat on Friday, Dominican officials said.

The Dominican Republic urged Haiti to do everything to ensure the safe release of Carlos Guillen, the trade attaché at the Dominican embassy in Port-au-Prince.

According to BBC, Guillén was seized by the 400 Mawozo gang members while traveling to the neighboring Dominican Republic. The 400 Mawozo gang is infamous for kidnapping foreigners and demanding high ransom in exchange for their release.

Guillen was believed kidnapped while traveling from Port-au-Prince by road to Jimani, a city across the border in the Dominican Republic.

In a statement, the Dominican government said contact with Guillen was lost while he was in the Croix-des-Bouquets area on his way to the city of Jimani.

Faruk Miguel Castillo, the Dominican ambassador to Haiti, reportedly sent screenshots of the last calls from Guillen's phone to Haitian authorities at their request.

Washington Post reported that the Dominican Foreign Ministry refused to elaborate on the statement. A Dominican official tweeted on Sunday that the 400 Mawozo gang asked for $500,000 for the release of Guillen.

400 Mawozo Gang in Haiti

According to Haiti's security experts, the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti is one of the largest criminal gangs in the country. Washington Examiner reported that the gang is believed to be behind several other kidnappings in the region, including those involving Satanists, film crews, and officials.

In October, the Haitian gang kidnapped 16 U.S. citizens and a Canadian who were in Haiti for the NGO Christian Aid Ministries. They held them in custody for about two months while some missionaries were slowly released.

The gang reportedly demanded a ransom of $1 million for each of them. The remaining members of the group escaped last December 2021.

No group has been exempted from abduction. It includes priests delivering sermons, entire busloads of Haitians, foreigners, and even police officers have been swept up.

The Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights reported in March that police in recent months do not have the human, material, technological, and other means to execute their mission. The center added that Haiti is on the edge of an unprecedented "catastrophe if nothing is done."

The Haitian gang had earlier warned to "put a bullet" in the 17 missionaries with Christian Aid Ministries if its demand for a $1 million ransom for each victim was not met. A ransom was paid to free some of its members.

Haiti Faces Instability

Haitians have been facing more violence and instability since Haiti President Jovenel Moise's assassination. Opponents have demanded that Prime Minister Ariel Henry step down after taking office less than two weeks after Moise was killed.

They were arguing that his administration is unconstitutional, Al Jazeera reported. Bocchit Edmond, Haiti's ambassador to the United States, told the Associated Press earlier that they were in a situation wherein fear was taking over peace, adding that Haiti cannot continue to live that way.

Aside from an ongoing political crisis, gang violence is worsening, causing thousands of people to stay home.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: 400 Mawozo Gang Kidnapped the Missionaries: Haiti Police - From Al Jazeera English