Anti-US Sentiment in Haiti

Prominent Haitian Politician Guy Philippe has been arrested and extradited back to the United States for trial on suspicion of participating in the trafficking of illegal drugs. Since his arrest, there has been an increase in the amount of violence against US Citizens in Haiti reported to US Authorities. There have been non-violent protests outside the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince and the US Government has restricted the travel of US Government personnel in the regions where Philippe had a large amount of support.

Given the nature of "non-violent protests," it does not take much imagination to see where this could lead. Aside from the embassy, violent demonstrations have occurred including but not limited to arson attacks on local police and United Nations vehicles, an attack on a radio station, and burglaries resulting in the theft of United States Passports. Local Law Enforcement personnel have commented that these attacks are linked to groups that support Philippe.

The region where Philippe garnered the most support included the Departments of Grand'Anse and Sud. On at least one occasion (6 January 2017), multiple demonstrators entered a hotel in Jeremie (in the North Central Coastal area of the Grand'Anse Department) and were alleged to have been searching from US Citizens. Other areas of Haiti appear to be presenting less risk for US citizens than the Departments named above.

Guy Philippe is a former Haitian soldier, rebel, and lead the 2004 coup-de-tat against former President Jean-Bertrand Artistide. He has been sought out of the US State of Florida for charges of narcotics trafficking and money laundering and was arrested by the Haitian National Police in Port-au-Prince on 5 January 2017 for his alleged involvement in an attack on a Police Commissariat in Les Cayes which resulted in 6 fatalities (two of which were police officers). The demonstrations and anti-American sentiment are allegedly the result of a belief that the United States Government was, in some way, involved with the arrest of Philippe.

Therefore, it is my recommendation to any and all CENTURION ASG, LLC. customers with operations in the above named regions to evacuate if possible. If this is not possible for some reason, it is my strongest recommendation to increase security, continue to monitor local news sources, and maintain a heightened state of situational awareness for new threats. 

This situation is highly fluid and has potential to either dissipate or deteriorate rapidly.

-Prepared by: CASG Intelligence Analyst, 1732 EST 16JAN17