I want to thank you for helping my America, my Colombia, achieve freedom,” he said. “You even gave us our flag.”

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.

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

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, the United Nations chief warned.

More money, equipment and personnel are needed for the Kenya-led international force, Antonio Guterres said, adding that any further delays risk the ‘catastrophic’ collapse of Haiti's security institu