SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Haiti’s National Police have located the charred remains of a vehicle that four Salvadoran aviation technicians were using when they were attacked in gang-controlled territory on October 18. However, authorities have not found any signs of the missing men.
The attack prompted Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele to dispatch over 2,000 troops to Haiti to assist in the search for the technicians. This military deployment has raised questions regarding the command of these troops as they join an international effort aimed at addressing the rampant gang violence in the nation.
Haitian officials reported on Tuesday that the vehicle was discovered on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, specifically in the Croix-des-Bouquets area. The recovery operation, which took place early Monday, involved collaboration between Haitian police, the U.N.-backed gang suppression force, and Salvadoran forces.
The United Nations stated that the Salvadoran troops are functioning outside the framework of the U.N. gang suppression operation and are expected to adhere to international law.
In a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Bukele referenced Haitian historical figure Jean-Jacques Dessalines, stating that “those who betrayed the liberator still exist in Haiti.” He characterized some of these individuals as gang members, while others are said to finance gangs or supply them with weapons, hindering the Haitian people’s quest for freedom.
Hours before Bukele’s statement, Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé addressed the situation publicly for the first time since the incident. He emphasized that Haiti remains in charge of foreign forces operating within its borders and asserted that these forces are not meant to replace the state.
