Neither former interim Prime Minister Garry Conille nor the newly appointed Alix Didier Fils-Aimé commented on the violence.

But Luis Abinader, who as president of the neighboring Dominican Republic has cracked down on Haitian migration, called shooting at the plane terrorism.

“This was a terrorist act; The countries that are following and helping Haiti should declare these armed bands as terrorist groups,” Abinader said at a press conference.

On Tuesday, heavily armed police in armored vehicles in front of the airport checked passing public transport trucks.

Schools were closed, as were banks and government offices. The streets, where just a day earlier gangs and police were locked in a fierce gunfight, were eerily empty, with few on the road other than a motorcycle with a shot man clinging to the back.

The sounds of intense gunfire still echoed through the streets in the afternoon, a reminder that despite political maneuvering by Haiti’s elites and a strong push by the international community to restore peace, the country’s toxic gangs held firm. control in much of the Caribbean. nation.

The United Nations estimates that gangs control 85% of the capital, Port-au-Prince. A UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police to quell gang violence is struggling with a lack of funding and personnel, prompting calls for a UN peacekeeping mission.

The violence comes after a transitional council, tasked with restoring democratic order in Haiti, which has not held elections since 2016, decided to fire Conille, who was often at odds with the council during his six months in office. . The council quickly swore in businessman Fils-Aimé as the new interim prime minister.

Conille originally called the move illegal, but on Tuesday acknowledged Fils-Aimé’s appointment in a post on social media platform X.

“(I) wish you success in fulfilling this mission. At this crucial time, unity and solidarity are essential for our country. Long live Haiti!” he wrote.

Fils-Aimé promised to work with international partners to restore peace and hold long-awaited elections, a promise also made by his predecessor.

But many Haitians, like Martha Jean-Pierre, 43, have little taste for the political struggle, which experts say only gives gangs more freedom to continue expanding their control as Haiti teeters on the brink of famine.

Jean-Pierre was among those who braved the streets of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday to sell bananas, carrots, cabbages and potatoes from a basket on his head. He said he had no choice: selling was the only way to feed his children.

“What good is a new prime minister if there is no security, if I can’t move freely and sell my produce,” he said, pointing to his basket of vegetables. “This is my bank account, my family depends on this.”

It was a frustration that appeared to be international actors who have pushed for a peaceful resolution in Haiti such as the UN and the US.

On Tuesday, the US State Department regretted that Conille and the council “were unable to move forward constructively” and called on Fils-Aimé and the council to provide a clear action plan outlining a joint vision for how reduce violence and pave the way. the way for elections to be held to “avoid further stagnation.”

“The acute and immediate needs of the Haitian people demand that the transitional government prioritize governance over the competing personal interests of political actors,” he wrote in a statement.

Associated Press video journalist Pierre-Richard Luxama contributed to this report.