A security firm run by former US Navy Seal Erik Prince is deploying nearly 200 personnel from various countries to Haiti as part of a one-year deal to quell gang violence. The deployment, facilitated by Vectus Global, aims to help the Haitian government regain control over seized territory and advise on restoring revenue collection capabilities.
The move comes after Haiti’s transitional presidential council confirmed in June that foreign contractors would be hired. However, concerns have been raised about the potential violation of US law unless permission is obtained from the US government for private military companies to work in Haiti.
Critics argue that the use of private firms may fragment authority and sovereignty, hindering resolution of the crisis. The UN-backed mission, struggling to suppress gang violence, has 991 personnel, far less than its envisioned capacity of 2,500.
The deployment is also amid rising tensions between rival gangs, including Viv Ansanm, a powerful gang federation that was designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the US earlier this year. Gang violence has resulted in over 1,520 deaths and injured more than 600 people since April, displacing over 1.3 million people.
The Haitian government’s new police director general, André Jonas Vladimir Paraison, was appointed recently, following a task force that operated outside of national oversight. Analysts warn that escalating the conflict without sufficient personnel may worsen the situation.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/08/15/nx-s1-5503316/blackwater-erik-prince-haiti-gang-violence