Colombian President Gustavo Petro is visiting Haiti as part of a whirlwind trip to strengthen ties with the violence-wracked country.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived in Haiti's southeastern city of Jacmel on Wednesday afternoon in a rare visit by a foreign head of state to the Caribbean nation, as Haiti endures an extended conflict with armed gangs.

Francisco de Miranda, considered to be the precursor of Venezuela’s independence, stitched the country’s first flag in Jacmel and set sail from the port city. A decade later, South American liberator Simón Bolívar launched his successful movement from Jacmel’s shores.

The United Nations warns that without increased international support, gangs in Haiti could take over the capital, leading to a collapse of government authority. Despite efforts from a multinational force,

More than 5,601 people in Haiti were killed in Haiti last year as a result of gang violence, about a thousand more than in 2023, the UN said.

The United Nations chief is warning that gangs in Haiti could overrun the capital, Port-au-Prince, leading to a complete breakdown of government authority without additional international support for the beleaguered national police.