Haitian Forces Regain Control of Port-au-Prince Stadium from Gangs

The Haitian National Police announced on Friday, November 13, that they had regained control of the Sylvio-Cator stadium in Port-au-Prince. The stadium had been occupied by armed groups since February 2024. An operation was conducted on Thursday with the Task Force and Haitian forces, after which the site was placed under the protection of Salvadoran military personnel. This development is part of the deployment of forces decided by President Nayib Bukele to support the fight against gangs in Haiti.

The retaking of the stadium is a significant development in the fight against gangs in Haiti. The stadium, which previously hosted national team matches, had become a strategic location for gangs. Its occupation had forced Haiti's national team, the Grenadiers, to play their home matches abroad, including in Curaçao. The stadium's recovery is expected to help restore a sense of security and normalcy in the area.

President Nayib Bukele's deployment of Salvadoran forces to Haiti is part of a broader effort to combat gang violence in the country. About 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers are currently present in Haiti, with the potential for an additional 500 to be deployed. Earlier in the week, Bukele announced that his troops had participated in operations targeting the residence of Wilson Joseph, the alleged leader of the 400 Mawozo gang, and installations presented as the group's headquarters.

However, despite these efforts, Wilson Joseph was not arrested during the operations. The Haitian government has been struggling to contain gang violence, which has led to a significant deterioration in security and stability in the country. The cooperation between Haiti and El Salvador has been welcomed by Haitian officials, including Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé.

Fils-Aimé had previously praised Bukele's support, saying he saluted the commitment of Salvadoran forces to the fight against gangs. The use of the Sylvio-Cator stadium as a base for operations against gangs is expected to help Haitian forces to better target and combat gang activities in the area.

The recovery of the stadium and the deployment of Salvadoran forces are seen as key developments in the fight against gang violence in Haiti. The situation in Haiti remains challenging, with gangs controlling large areas of the country. However, the Haitian government and its international partners, including El Salvador, are working to restore security and stability.

The cooperation between Haiti and El Salvador is expected to continue, with the goal of reducing gang violence and improving security in Haiti. The retaking of the Sylvio-Cator stadium is a positive development in this effort, and Haitian authorities are likely to continue to work with international partners to address the root causes of gang violence and restore stability to the country.

Key points

• The Haitian National Police have regained control of the Sylvio-Cator stadium in Port-au-Prince from armed groups.