Haitian priest freed following kidnapping in wartorn nation

Vatican News

Father Emmanuel Saintéliat, pastor of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church, was kidnapped on June 30 by gangs who attacked the commune of Gressier, near Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital. The Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince confirmed his release and, according to media sources, no ransom was paid. At least 20 people were killed in the June 30 attack by armed gangs from the Vivre Ensemble group led by former police officer Jimmy Cherizier.

The group's leader is suspected of being behind the chaos in the country. In March, he called for the resignation of then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry. In Gressier, armed groups burned down homes and caused panic in the community, blaming the presence of the Kenyan-led peacekeeping contingent that arrived a few days ago. The police have now regained control of the area.

Peacekeeping Mission in Kenya

The Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince issued a statement on July 1 expressing its outrage and sadness over the situation, saying it represented a kind of “imprisonment in the spiral of evil” that has gripped Haitian society. The statement denounced the events that occurred during Sunday's attack, denouncing “unspeakable acts of deadly violence.” The statement also saluted Father Saintéliat, “who has never abandoned the community he serves… and who is always ready to help others.”

Call for the release of Father Saintéliat

The Archdiocese of Port-au-Prince also stated that this incident demonstrates that some areas of the metropolitan area of ​​Port-au-Prince are still beyond the control of public security and reaffirms “its proximity to all victims and their families.” The statement reiterates the urgent need for state authorities to “take urgent measures to end this reality of violence and restore the right to life in the country.”