Edwin Paraison says Haitians back El Salvador's troops

Edwin Paraison, a former Haitian consul in the Dominican Republic, said Haitians support Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele's decision to deploy troops against criminal gangs. He said the public approval is comparable to the welcome Haitians gave the arrival of Brazilian troops under MINUSTAH.

Paraison noted that six years after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, and three years after a United Nations resolution creating an anti-gang force, the Haitian authorities have failed to retake territory held by the gangs. He added that the Kenyan police contingent now on the ground does not seem to have produced any concrete results.

Paraison also argued that uncertainty remains over the legal status of the area behind the border wall built between Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Some Haitians reportedly believe the area is their territory, while others say it falls under Dominican sovereignty.

He said this could lead to defections from within the criminal groups.

Paraison also said that the presence of El Salvador's troops in the areas controlled by Joseph Wilson and Claudy Celestin has already weakened the gangs' hold on their respective territories. He noted that such an intervention could reduce the level of intimidation directed at small and medium-sized business owners.

Mixed reactions

Some sectors in Haiti have voiced concerns about exactly how these foreign troops are commanded. Paraison suggested that clarifying the matter could ease some doubts among local residents.

It is also worth noting that a misunderstanding over the legal status of the areas behind the border wall between Haiti and the Dominican Republic recently led the Dominican ambassador to Haiti to be summoned home for consultation.