Overview:
Haiti will ship 400 law enforcement officials to Brazil subsequent month for coaching, because the nation battles gang violence and prepares for a U.N.-backed safety mission. Solely 10,000 police and 1,300 troopers presently shield almost 12 million Haitians.
By Evens Sanon | The Related Press
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haiti’s authorities mentioned Monday it plans to ship 400 law enforcement officials to Brazil subsequent month for coaching as gang violence overwhelms the troubled Caribbean nation.
At present, Haiti solely has about 10,000 law enforcement officials and 1,300 troopers defending a rustic of almost 12 million folks, mentioned Fritz Alphonse Jean, chief of the transitional presidential council.
A complete of 700 Haitian law enforcement officials and troopers shall be skilled by international nations in upcoming months and can then be part of a Kenyan-led, U.N.-backed mission in its combat towards gangs.
“Haiti is weak, and we’d like particular coaching,” Jean mentioned throughout a uncommon press convention held for worldwide media.
Final week, 150 Haitian soldiers were deployed to Mexico for coaching as gangs that management as much as 90% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, encroach on extra territory.
From October 2024 to June 2025, greater than 4,800 folks throughout Haiti had been killed by gang violence. Lots of extra have been injured, kidnapped, raped and trafficked, in line with the United Nations.
Gang violence additionally has displaced more than 1.3 million people lately, with Jean noting that the federal government is making an attempt to make sure that Haitians are in a position to return residence quickly. The federal government has began distributing cash to a number of the tens of 1000’s of individuals crowded into faculties and makeshift shelters.
Jean is main a council tasked with organizing common elections by February 2026, however ongoing gang violence is threatening that deadline.
“We’re doing every little thing potential so we will maintain elections,” he mentioned, declining to supply a date.
Haiti hasn’t held common elections in nearly a decade, with its final president, Jovenel Moïse, slain at his non-public residence in July 2021. Gang violence has since surged within the aftermath of the slaying.