In the spotlight: at least 12 people kidnapped this weekend in Port-au-Prince in Haiti
View of Canaan, Croix-des-Bouquets district in Haiti on December 23, 2019 (Illustrative image).
AP - God Nalio Chery
Text by: Achim Lippold Follow
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In Haiti, the kidnapping of the seven religious (including two French) made the front page of the national press.
According to
Le Nouvelliste,
the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince is facing a wave of “
kidnappings
”.
This weekend, at least twelve people were kidnapped.
In addition to the seven Catholic religious (five priests and two sisters), three members of the family of one of the priests are also among the hostages.
Saturday evening, two other people were kidnapped south of the capital, in Delmas.
He is a member of the Grand Orient Masonic Lodge of Haiti and a doctor.
In protest, the management of the Bernard Meys hospital where the practitioner works has decided to close the establishment for outpatient cases from Monday.
Only emergencies will remain open.
Regarding the kidnapping of the seven religious, the Society of Priests of Saint-Jacques, contacted by the
Alterpresse
agency
last night, declared that they had no news of the kidnapped people.
The kidnappers demand a million dollars in ransom.
What do we know about the kidnappers?
According to
Le Nouvelliste,
it is the gang of 400 Mawozo, an armed band which "
scours the town of Croix-des-Bouquets without being worried
".
Despite numerous police raids, no weapon could be seized.
Also according to
Le Nouvelliste,
gang activity has increased "
after the spectacular escape to the prison of Croix-des-Bouquets on February 25
": more than 300 prisoners were able to escape that day.
In recent months, kidnappings for ransom have seen a sharp increase in Port-au-Prince as in the rest of the country.
The
Alterpresse
agency
reported this weekend, for example, that a feeling of psychosis now reigns in Bel Air, a district of Port-au-Prince, where the latest gang attacks have left thirteen dead and five missing.
Le Nouvelliste
underlines that yesterday's kidnapping comes after the “
spectacular
”
kidnappings
of four people including a pastor during a religious service broadcast live.
According to the Port-au-Prince daily, the police are not very motivated to fight against the phenomenon of gangs while Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe claims to have adopted “
unpopular measures to fight against kidnapping.
"
Guillermo Lasso wins the second round of the presidential election in Ecuador
The former conservative banker Guillermo Lasso was elected president of Ecuador yesterday Sunday, April 11, 2021, against the young economist Andrés Arauz, dolphin of the former socialist leader Rafael Correa.
"
After 14 years, a vote against corruption
", headlines
La Hora
which does not hide its satisfaction at the end of the "
Correist regime
", as the newspaper writes: "
We are pleased that the country has chosen democratically. 'option that favors fiscal austerity and the private sector
'.
According to
La Hora,
three major challenges await the new president: health, vaccination and economic recovery.
The daily advises Guillermo Lasso to favor dialogue and bring the country together.
The new president, as if he had listened to the editorial of
La Hora,
has already promised to devote his mandate to "
building a national project
".
It is the title of the newspaper
El Comercio,
which also underlines the reaction of Andrès Arauz.
The left-wing rival admitted defeat and vowed to remain vigilant.
For the newspaper
El Universo,
the Ecuadorian people chose “
freedom
”, they said no to the Cuban or Venezuelan model.
"
But he also asked the new president to conduct business in a transparent manner
."
In any case, the tasks that await Guillermo Lasso are immense, concludes
El Universo.
The far left leads the first round of elections in Peru
According to the partial results, the ballot promises to be close.
Pedro Castillo (from the radical left) leads with 15.8% of the vote, ahead of liberal economist Hernando de Soto (14.7%).
According to a poll taken out of the polls published by the newspaper
El Comercio,
Pedro Castillo should play the second round with Keiko Fujimori, the candidate of the populist right, credited with around 14% according to the same poll.
Eighteen candidates presented themselves in total for this first round which, according to
El Comercio,
took place without incident despite the particular context of the health crisis.
These partial results aroused various reactions: the
Correo
newspaper
collected the testimony of certain inhabitants of the capital Lima, shocked by the victory of the candidate of the radical left.
A victory which was however celebrated by his supporters in the city of Cajamarca, the candidate's stronghold, writes
Correo.
The polls were not wrong, adds
La Republica.
A week ago, they already gave Pedro Castillo a strong lead over the other candidates.
Pedro Castillo who can rely on a rural electorate and part of the population seduced by his "
radical promises
".
The winner of the first round has already thanked his voters.
It is on the front page of the newspaper
Expreso.
"
The people identify with a person who is itself from the people,
" said Pedro Castillo, quoted by
Expresso.
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