Wife of the Haiti's Head of Security at National Palace Kidnapped

A one million dollar ransom is being demanded for the release of the wife of the head of the General Security Unit at the National Palace in Haiti.

The authorities said that Maritza Beaubrun was kidnapped on Sunday by unidentified armed individuals, and according to family sources have demanded a one million US dollar ransom for her release.

The police have so made no official statement regarding the kidnapping that came less than 24 hours after a medical practitioner was snatched as he made his way to work at Hospital of the State University of Haiti.

Meanwhile, the interns and staff at hospitals in Haiti have taken to social media protesting the abduction of Dr Hans David Telemaque. They have since decided to go on strike.

The medical staff at the Sanatorium Hospital of Port-au-Prince have from midnight taken industrial action, followed by the Justinien University Hospital of Cap-Haitien, Chancerelles Hospital, the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of UEH, the University Hospital La Paix. They have also received the support of the National Committee of Doctors in Residence at the Public University Hospitals of Haiti.

The kidnappers have since released Dr. élémaque, but it is not known whether a ransom was paid.

Over the past months, many people have been kidnapped in Haiti for ransom, and the United States, Canada and other Western countries have urged their nationals not to travel to the country because of the crime and political situation there.

CMC