Nayib Bukele Deploys 2,500 Salvadoran Troops to Haiti

President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has deployed 2,500 soldiers to Haiti to conduct a military offensive against gangs. The operation began in mid-October following the disappearance of four Salvadoran aviation technicians during a gang attack. While Bukele initially framed the mission as a recovery effort for the missing personnel, he later expanded the objective to the elimination of Haitian gangs, sharing videos of troops bombing gang leaders' homes to project an image of success.

Amnesty International has called on the governments of El Salvador and Haiti to disclose the legal agreement governing the deployment. Americas Director Ana Piquer expressed concern that most of these troops are not part of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force, leaving their rules of engagement unclear. Piquer urged both nations to ensure operations comply with international human rights law to avoid replicating the impunity of previous interventions in Haiti.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has distanced the United States from the offensive, stating the U.S. is not actively involved and continues to support a separate U.N.-backed force. Analysts suggest the military action is a political gamble intended to bolster Bukele's image ahead of February presidential elections in El Salvador.