Arts & Entertainment

Haitian carnival fills streets with dance in spite of crises

Port-au-Prince, Feb 20 (EFE).- The Haitian city of Jacmel vibrated Sunday with the rhythms of its carnival, a tradition that residents decided to celebrate this year despite the economic and security crises affecting the Caribbean nation.

The streets of the city were filled with color, comparsas and costumes as people of all ages joined the celebrations.

The city went ahead with the party despite the fact that on Feb. 5 the government of Haiti announced the cancellation of the national carnival.

“The government, due to the economic difficulties that the country is facing, has decided, this year, not to organize a national carnival, but to accompany various communities that wish to offer their community carnival festivities, evaluating the health and safety risks,” the Ministry of Culture said in a statement at the time.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has suffered three years of economic recession, a situation that is partly a consequence of political instability.

Economic activity has suffered in part from the waves of protests that, on several occasions, have paralyzed the country for months on end between 2018 and 2021.

The violence of armed gangs and a wave of kidnappings, which intensified after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last July, have also had a negative impact on the activity of many companies and have contributed to the collapse of the tourism sector.

The gangs, who block roads and attack truck drivers, have also caused problems with the supply of fuel and goods. EFE

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