DeSantis Deploys State Guard As Haiti Spirals Into Possibly Cannibalistic Violence

Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis deployed the state guard in response to the a potential surge of illegal Haitian migrants after violent gangs sized control of the Caribbean country.

DeSantis activated 250 state guard troops on Wednesday to keep migrants seeking asylum from washing up on the beaches of the Sunshine State.

“For quite some time, the State of Florida has been dedicating significant resources to combat illegal vessels coming to Florida from countries such as Haiti,” DeSantis tweeted.

“Given the circumstances in Haiti, I have directed the Division of Emergency Management, the Florida State Guard, and state law enforcement agencies to deploy over 250 additional officers and soldiers and over a dozen air and seacraft to the southern coast of Florida to protect our state.”

“No state has done more to supplement the (under-resourced) U.S. Coast Guard’s interdiction efforts; we cannot have illegal aliens coming to Florida,” he added.

Though Haiti is over 700 miles away from Florida, many Haitians have proven willing to chance a dangerously long boat ride to the Keys, as proven by their over 276,000 strong migrant population in the state.

With the country overrun by violent gangs who have abandoned their internal wars and banded together to take over the country, it stands likely that Florida will get some unwanted visitors.

Gangs have seized control of capital city Port-au-Prince, staging prison breaks, burning down police stations, and taking over the local airport. The state of emergency has caused the nation’s prime minister to resign after it was demanded by notorious “G9 and Family” gang leader, “Barbecue,” who has become the most powerful man in Haiti.

Barbecue has managed to terrorize civilians with statements like: “I am ready to make an alliance with the devil, ready to sleep in the same bed as the devil,” while fueling speculation that he and his followers eat their victims.

“There are cannibal gangs in Haiti who abduct and eat people. We are not supposed to talk about that because of cultural relativism,” conservative influencer Ian Miles Cheong tweeted last week. 

“The entire country has now entered a state of chaos after gangs attacked two prisons, setting many criminals free. 80% of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince is now controlled by these gangs,” he added. “Reminder that these people are now illegally entering the US en masse.”

NBC News claimed that “right-wing pundits online are weaponizing unverified claims of cannibalism coming out of the conflict,” which they chalked up to “propaganda campaigns designed to scare rivals and terrorize local Haitians.”

The outlet also pointed towards Barbecue’s name as a contributing factor to the “cannibalism speculation,” and noted that he was given the nickname as a child because his mother was a street vendor who sold chicken.

Whether or not Barbecue is in it for a taste of human flesh, he still wants his pound of it. “We won’t lie to people, saying we have a peaceful revolution,” he remarked on Tuesday. “We do not have a peaceful revolution. We are starting a bloody revolution in the country.”

“Illegal immigrants feel empowered to enter the sovereign territory of the United States because of the federal government’s refusal to diligently enforce our immigration laws and protect the integrity of the border,” DeSantis’ office said in a statement on Wednesday.

“When a state faces the possibility of invasion, it has the right and duty to defend its territory and people. Under Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida will act.”

Meanwhile, New York City Mayor had a response that aligned with the Big Apple’s sanctuary city status.

“We call New York City the Port-Au-Prince of America. We feel the pain our Haitian neighbors feel as the situation grows dire,” he tweeted Wednesday afternoon.

“To the people of Haiti and our own Haitian community here in New York City, know that we stand with you today and always.”