Guatemala will double its military contingent to reinforce the fight against gangs in Haiti

Home News Guatemala will double its military contingent to reinforce the fight against gangs in Haiti
Guatemala will double its military contingent to reinforce the fight against gangs in Haiti

The president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, announced this Tuesday, June 30, that the country will double its military presence in Haiti, increasing the deployment from 150 to 300 soldiers. The expansion of troops, confirmed the Guatemalan Army, is currently in process.

The president gave as an example the deployment in Haiti to show the institutional modernization and strengthening of the operational capabilities of the land, sea and air forces.

“Proof of this is the increase in our participation in the Haiti mission, going from 150 to 300 soldiers, reaffirming that Guatemala not only works for its own security, but also contributes responsibly to regional stability and world peace,” said Arévalo.

The presidential announcement was made during the official events for the 155th anniversary of the Guatemalan Army, celebrated in the country’s capital with the traditional military parade.

Although the president did not specify the date of sending the new troops, Army spokesperson Pamela Figueroa confirmed that the deployment of additional personnel has not yet been carried out and is “in process.”

Guatemala has maintained an active military presence in the Caribbean country since the beginning of 2025, when it deployed an initial contingent of 150 troops to support the former Multinational Security Support Mission (MMAS). With this new increase, Guatemalan troops will join the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), a 5,500-strong operation approved by the UN Security Council in September 2025 to combat these armed gangs and replace the previous mandate.

The Government announced that it will double the contingent of the Guatemalan Army in Haiti, but the deployment of the new soldiers is still in process. (Free Press Photo: Javier González)

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