Major protests erupted in Haiti on Friday after the government announced an increase in gasoline prices from 38 to 51 percent.
Demonstrators took to the streets setting the city ablaze, targeting major businesses like Royal Oasis Hotel and the Best Western. Protesters used burning tires to block traffic on major streets, including the road to the airport.
According to reports, at least three people have been killed.
The violent protests, which continued into Saturday, is putting a strain on the poorly-resources national police, who for the first time do not have the support of a U.N. peacekeeping force to main security. People are trapped in their homes, offices and restaurants, fearful to leave and face angry mobs.
In response to the violent protests, U.S. airlines have cancelled all flights to Haiti, while the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince and State Department have issued safety alerts.
After 2 days of violence and vandalism, Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant took to Twitter to announce the suspension of the fuel hike.
Despite the move however, the political damage may be too much to repair.
"Lafontant has failed in his mission to govern efficiently," Petion-ville Mayor Jerry Tardieu said in the Miami Herald. "He has lost the trust of the population and no longer has the credibility to carry any of the reforms needed in Haiti."
