U.S. Embassies and Overseas Security

The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince issued a security alert Saturday reporting heavy gunfire north and south of the compound and around Croix‑des‑Bouquets, ordering U.S. government personnel to halt all movement while remaining open only for emergency services. The State Department urged any nearby U.S. citizens to avoid the area and monitor local media, reiterating its Level 4 'Do Not Travel' advisory for Haiti amid rampant gang control of much of the capital. Croix‑des‑Bouquets is a longtime stronghold of the 400 Mawozo gang, whose leader Joly Germine was sentenced to life in U.S. prison last year for the 2021 kidnapping of 16 Americans tied to Christian Aid Ministries. The alert follows prior incidents in which UN staff were told to stay off the streets and U.S. Marines exchanged gunfire with suspected gang members near the embassy, underscoring the deteriorating security environment around U.S. diplomatic facilities. While no casualties from this latest episode are reported, the situation highlights the ongoing risk to U.S. personnel and citizens in Haiti and the possibility of further embassy movement restrictions or evacuations if violence escalates.