Guatemalan and Salvadoran troops have landed in Haiti. How did this happen? In November 2024, the United Nations Security Council called a meeting led by Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations. The topic of discussion you may ask? Furthering the occupation in Haiti with more boots on the ground from international forces backed by the United States and the UN.
Jenča used the same lies and fear-mongering tactics that have always been told about the first free Black Caribbean nation in the Western Hemisphere — lies about “violence,” and especially about the main sources of the violence that is harming the Haitian people. He asserted that it’s “gang violence” that continues to erode state authority in Haiti. As we’ve pointed out before, the rise of armed groups in Haiti is a direct result of policies that deliberately hollowed out the state, and focusing on “gang violence” aims to send a message that there are no Haitian solutions to Haitian problems — that order can only be installed from the outside.
During this meeting, another senior UN official urged member states to increase their contributions to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission.
“Haiti is at a dire crossroads,” declared Jenča, feigning concern over the “slow progress on Haiti’s road map for restoring democratic institutions.” A farcical concern, of course, seeing that hundreds of Kenyan police officers have been in Haiti since last June.
Meanwhile the UN Trust Fund for the MSS has already pledged an amount of $96.8 million, yet Jenča stressed: “Much more is needed; and it is needed now.” He claimed that the lack of an increase of voluntary contributions could present a “catastrophic risk of the collapse of national security institutions.”
But we know the truth: Colonization and imperialism have always been at the root of Haiti’s eroding institutions and infrastructure since 1804. But the occupation hasn’t stopped with Kenyan boots on the ground either.
Troops arrive Jan. 3
On Jan. 3, the Haitian National Police announced that security forces from Guatemala and El Salvador arrived on the ground in Haiti to fortify the multinational mission.
The scene was set for the world to see! At Port-au-Prince’s International Airport, leader of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council Leslie Voltaire, interim Prime Minister of Haiti Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, and the U.S. Ambassador to Haiti Dennis Hankins — portrayed as saviors of the Haitian people — greeted this delegation of the first troops representing the expanded occupation. Video of this spectacle was released by the Haitian National Police themselves. The arrival of the 75 Guatemalan and eight Salvadoran officers is part of the preparations for the arrival of additional troops who will continue to enter Haiti throughout the month of January. These troops will join the MSS.
The occupation’s welcoming committee also included Godfrey Otunge, the commander of the Kenyan troops in the MSS. Praising their partnership with the de facto undemocratically elected Haitian government, Otunge proclaimed, “We don’t take it for granted. We have a prime minister who is also our friend.”
Lastly acting director general of the National Police Normil Rameau made it clear in a released statement that this is a “marriage” of the police with the people of Haiti — and that remains “the most effective way to facilitate the total restoration of security and the establishment of lasting peace.” Marriage? Friends? With the Haitian people? This is a marriage that the Haitian people have never agreed to. The real question is what do the Haitian people need right now?
Haiti was under the boot of colonialists and slave powers since the 16th century and continues to be exploited by neocolonialists representing U.S. interests.
As reported by Haiti Liberte, companies from both Canada and the U.S. have had mining exploration permits operating in the nation since 2005 without any inspections: “The companies include Ste Geneviève du Canada during the 2004 transition, VCS mining of Angelo Viard and Rodham Clinton, Citadelle, Newmont Corporation, SONO Global Holdings Inc., Caribbean General Trading CGT etc. … From 2006 to 2013, the Haitian state, despite warnings from Caribbean countries about the ecological disasters of mining operations in the region, granted 50 mining exploration permits to American and Canadian companies.”
And this is with no input from the Haitian people in spite of their continued severely underpaid labor.
And what are the current conditions in Haiti one may ask? At the end of 2024, there has been a spike in the prices of basic materials in Haiti while the wages of Haitian workers continue to be at an incredible low: continued exploitation has made workers’ lives a struggle.
For example, look at food price inflation in Haitian gourdes. According to Haiti Liberte, “A bag of rice now sells for between $470 and $500, a gallon of oil $300, a can of beans $250, a case of spaghetti or macaroni $300. A bag of charcoal $500, a packet of spinach $20 to name a few.” While most Haitian workers make about $540 gourdes a month — the equivalent of $4.14 USD.
Environmental crises in Haiti
And it doesn’t stop there. Let’s talk about environmental tragedies that have rocked Haiti. Since November, Haiti has been hit with torrential rains that have decimated various areas of the nation with flooding and mudslides. These torrential rains affected more than 100,000 inhabitants and caused significant material damage in Cap-Haitien. Reports from UNOCHA included the human toll of deaths in multiple families as Haiti’s center was covered with debris and waste.
Floods in Grande-Anse and the northwest of the country, in Port-de-Paix, have also caused multiple deaths and missing people while farmers have also lost crops as well as their animals.
Meanwhile on the other side of the land mass, 276,000 Haitians that have worked in the Dominican Republic also for low wages have already been deported or will be. And still the U.S./UN backed- transitional government has done nothing to address any of this but can boost the continued occupation on the back of suffering Haitians.
But Haitians continue to do what they do best — resist! There is a chant on the ground in Haiti: “Anba Kapitalis” or “Down with capitalism, in Haiti and everywhere else!” Haitians on the ground continue to demand a real democratic election, the removal of the U.S./UN appointed transitional government, end of the occupation and a true opportunity at self-determination for the Haitian people. This is in step with the radical Haitian tradition. Jean-Jacques Dessalines, a leader of the Haitian Revolution, once stated, “It is not enough to have expelled the barbarians who have bloodied our land for two centuries.” He also said, “We must, with one last act of national authority, forever assure the empire of liberty in the country of our birth.”
As internationalists we must demand an end to the occupation in Haiti in all its forms now! We must have solidarity for the dignity and self-determination of the Haitian people! Hands off Haiti now and respect the Haitian Revolution!
