In the spotlight: the consequences of the fuel shortage for hospitals in Haiti

The fuel supply to the capital Port-au-Prince has been severely disrupted in recent weeks.

The leaders of the transport industry fear the kidnapping of their drivers or the diverted goods.

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Text by: Christophe Paget Follow

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“ 

Shortage of fuel. The lives of many newborns in danger in hospitals,

 ”

warns RezoNodwès

in the title. The news site recalls that " 

many Haitian businesses and institutions depend on diesel generators to provide electricity due to constant blackouts

 ." This Sunday, Unicef ​​explained " 

that it had negotiated an agreement with a local company to supply fuel to hospitals in Port-au-Prince and the southern peninsula of Haiti, which suffered an earthquake in August, but the company reversed its decision

 ”. Because in the midst of a wave of kidnappings, for the leaders of the transport sector, deliveries are too dangerous for their drivers " 

who risk being kidnapped

 ”.  

Suddenly hospitals " 

risk closing their doors

 " is the title of Le 

Nouvelliste

. According to the Organization, Our Little Brothers and Sisters, “ 

if no diesel delivery is guaranteed as soon as possible, pediatric services for more than 300 children, maternity services for more than 45 women, urgent care and hospitalization for more than 70 adults will be interrupted for lack of fuel

 ”this Tuesday. The Association of Private Hospitals of Haiti asserts that non-state hospitals will be forced to close as of Monday,

"

if an emergency humanitarian corridor is not established

 ". She recalls that, in addition to fuel problems, "

insecurity prevents employees from going to their posts with peace of

mind. 

 "And that the" 

oxygen shortage paralyzes services while there is talk of a new wave of coronavirus

 ".

The association says it does not understand “ 

the apathy of the authorities

 ”, which it calls to “ 

wake up and fulfill their mission

 ”. 

"

Otoniel", the leader of the most powerful gang of drug traffickers, arrested this Saturday 

One of the most dangerous criminals of this century

 ", headlines

La Vanguardia

, was arrested in a " 

memorable operation

 ". " 

When the different institutional forces decide to cooperate and focus on a common goal, they are unstoppable 

", welcomes the newspaper. Same story for

El Tiempo

, who speaks of a " 

triumph for Colombian intelligence, law enforcement and the fight against crime

 ".

Columnists

from both newspapers directly thank " 

President

 " Duque and " 

those who made this arrest possible

 ." Ivan Duque interviewed by

El Tiempo

announces “ 

with the capture of Otoniel the end of the“ clan del Golfo ”

 ”.  

But if the press is very positive about this arrest, it remains, for its part, cautious about its consequences.

Thus

La Vanguardia 

is at odds with the president: since time, we know that the end of the capos does not mean the end of their organizations: " 

or else the clan will give itself a new structure with a new leader

 ", with perhaps internal war and a significant increase in violence at stake, " 

or else the entire drug trade will be profoundly transformed

 ".

Hence this rather desperate editorial by journalist Paola Ochoa in

El Tiempo

 : “ 

The fall of Otoniel, the most powerful drug trafficker, the reincarnation of Pablo Escobar, the man most wanted by the DEA and the Colombian authorities for ten years

(…), what is it for the rest of Colombians? Probably for nothing, "

asserts the columnist,"

as the fall of Escobar had served no purpose.

 "Because" 

after Otoniel, comes a whole new generation of traffickers who are starting to fight over a business that generates 650,000

million dollars a year and which will never disappear, no matter how many heads are cut

 ". Paola Ochoa recalls that in fact after the death of Pablo Escobar

everything had suddenly worsened, with the number of coca producers multiplied by five between 1995 and last year, and cocaine production multiplied by six

 ”.

Colombia now cultivates 80% of the coca produced in the world.  

In the United States, towards a ban on firearms on film sets? 

In the United States, questions are growing about the use of firearms on filming. On Thursday, actor Alec Baldwin killed the director of photography for the western

Rust

during a rehearsal

, apparently with a pistol loaded with live ammunition. If an accident like this happens,

"

someone must have been negligent,

 " said a law professor interviewed by the

LA Times

.

USA Today

talks about " 

very strict security protocols

 ," and cites the many stages a weapon must go through before it reaches the hands of a comedian. " 

Deaths during filming are rare, but the actors and the film crew are often confronted with dangerous situations

 ”, underlines the

Washington Post

. Suddenly " 

a petition is circulating on the ban on firearms on sets,

 " announces the

Los Angeles Times

. She speaks directly to Alec Baldwin, asking him to use " 

his power and influence in Hollywood

 ." The law would bear the first name of the young woman fatally affected Thursday, Halyna. In California, announces the

Washington Post

, Senator Dave Cortes already intends to present "

a bill banning live bullets and weapons that can fire them on movie sets and in state theatrical productions 

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