150 Guatemalan troops and 8 Salvadorans join multinational mission in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE —  A total of 150 Guatemalan and 8 Salvadoran soldiers arrived in Haiti on Friday, Jan. 3, and Saturday, Jan. 4, to reinforce the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), which now includes 572 members. They arrived at Toussaint Louverture International Airport aboard a U.S. military aircraft. Their arrival, originally scheduled for December 2024, was postponed due to a volcanic eruption in Guatemala.

“We are counting on their support to join the Haitian law enforcement forces and other members of the multinational mission to restore peace in the country,” said Leslie Voltaire, President of the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), according to the Presidency of Haiti.

“They are coming to strengthen the multinational forces in the fight against armed gangs in the country.”

“The Salvadorans are being deployed to prepare for the arrival of other contingents,” said Lionel Lazarre, deputy spokesperson for the Haitian National Police (HNP), confirming that another flight is expected in coming days.

The 158 security personnel from Guatemala and El Salvador were welcomed by Leslie Voltaire, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, Normil Rameau, director general of the (HNP), Godfrey Otunge, head of the Multinational Security Support Mission, and U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins.

On January 4, 2025, an additional 75 Guatemalan soldiers arrived in Port-au-Prince, completing Guatemala’s commitment of 150 troops, including 19 women, to the MSS mission. This deployment brings the mission’s total personnel to 572, still far from the anticipated 2,500 members. Meanwhile, the exact number of Salvadoran soldiers expected to join remains unclear. Otunge called on countries that have pledged support but have yet to deploy their forces, urging immediate action to assist Haiti in its fight against gang violence, which continues to destabilize the nation.

“Haiti urgently needs your support,” Otunge said. “2025 will not be easy for the gangs. As we enter the decisive operational phase in support of the PNH, the gangs have only two choices: surrender, lay down their weapons, and face justice, or confront us on the field.”

The newly arrived Guatemalan soldiers will collaborate with Kenyan police officers from the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission and agents of the Haitian National Police (PNH) to combat gang violence. In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Guatemalan authorities detailed their soldiers’ responsibilities: maintaining discipline and order within military units, safeguarding military installations, and overseeing personnel movements at the mission’s headquarters.

Guatemalan military authorities emphasized the broader significance of this deployment, stating, “In this way, it contributes to world peace and demonstrates the support of the Guatemalan State to the Haitian people and regional security. We reiterate that international cooperation is essential to build a more just and secure future.”

As of now, the MSS mission comprises security personnel from six countries: 382 Kenyan police officers, 20 soldiers and 4 police officers from Jamaica, 2 soldiers from Belize, 6 soldiers from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, 150 Guatemalan soldiers, and 8 Salvadoran soldiers.

The arrival of these new contingents occurs amid ongoing gang activities in the capital, with armed groups seeking to expand their territorial control. Notably, at the beginning of 2025, police forces thwarted members of the “Kraze Baryè” gang in the commune of Pétion-Ville, who were attempting to establish a presence in the Laboule area.

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