El Salvador’s Congress gives approval for troops to be sent to Haiti

El Salvador’s Congress has approved a proposal to send a contingent of soldiers to Haiti as part of the United Nations’ Multinational Security Support Mission, focusing on medical evacuations in the crisis-stricken nation.

Patricia Aguilera, the legal affairs director for El Salvador’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, emphasized that this deployment aligns with the country’s commitment to the mission. While the specific size of the contingent was not disclosed, Aguilera noted that the troops would be limited to medical evacuations due to their prior experience in similar UN operations.

“As a country, we are an example of security on an international level and that is why we provide support, but specifically for medical evacuations, that is our experience,” Aguilera said.

Haiti is currently grappling with prolonged political and economic turmoil that has significantly affected daily life and stability in the country. Earlier this year, a series of coordinated gang attacks escalated to the point where the government was compelled to close Haiti’s main international airport for nearly three months, disrupting travel and commerce.

In recent days, the situation has worsened, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where gang violence has surged. Reports indicate that in just one week, more than 10,000 people have been displaced due to the ongoing violence, creating a humanitarian crisis. According to a report from the UN’s International Organization for Migration, the security situation has left many residents vulnerable and without shelter, exacerbating an already dire situation.

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Concerns have been raise that a UN-backed mission led by Kenyan police is struggling to contain the unrest. Thousands of people have been killed or injured this year, and more than 700,000 have been left homeless in recent years.

Haitian officials have requested that the underfunded Kenyan mission be replaced by a UN peacekeeping force.

El Salvador is a signatory to an agreement through the Organization of American States to support the Haiti mission. El Salvador’s troop commitment runs to October 2025. It was not clear when the troop contingent would travel to Haiti.

In March, El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele proposed exporting his security model to Haiti, citing his administration’s success in significantly reducing the influence of powerful street gangs. Bukele has implemented a state of emergency that has lasted over two years, which has involved suspending certain civil rights to combat gang violence. As a result, more than 83,000 alleged gang members have been arrested during this period.

The outcomes of Bukele’s strategies have been notable, with homicide rates in El Salvador plummeting. Many residents in neighborhoods that were once dominated by gangs now report feeling safer in their communities, a stark contrast to the pervasive violence that previously characterized those areas. Bukele’s approach has garnered attention, but it also raises questions about the balance between security and civil liberties, especially as he looks to apply these tactics in Haiti amid its own crisis of violence and instability.