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Key fuel depot reopens for first time since September

Published:Thursday | November 10, 2022 | 3:27 AM
Police officers protect fuel trucks filled with gas as they drive from the Varreux fuel terminal in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Tuesday, November 8.
AP
Police officers protect fuel trucks filled with gas as they drive from the Varreux fuel terminal in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Tuesday, November 8.

PORT-AU-PRINCE (AP):

Dozens of trucks lined up at a main fuel terminal in Haiti’s capital on Tuesday to fill up their tanks for the first time since a powerful gang seized control of the area nearly two months ago.

The drivers were protected by a heavily armed police convoy formed two days after gang boss Jimmy Cherizier, a former police officer nicknamed ‘Barbecue’, announced that the G9 gang federation he leads was lifting a fuel blockade and allowing drivers to fill up at the depot.

Government officials said that gas stations, which have been closed since mid-September, would be resupplied Wednesday through Friday and open to customers on Saturday.

“Now we can breathe,” said Gabriel Salny, a truck driver who was relieved to be again working and earning money. “Hunger almost killed me.”

He said the fuel blockade “had an impact on the country, on all Haitians”.

Officials with the Varreux terminal said 45 trucks were supplied with more than 300,000 gallons of diesel and more than 39,000 gallons of gasolene on Tuesday.