Dominican Republic provides logistical support for the deployment of Salvadoran military troops in Haiti

Santo Domingo — The Dominican Republic serves as a logistical support point for El Salvador‘s military deployment in Haiti, where the Government of Nayib Bukele announced the mobilization of more than 2,000 soldiers to rescue four aeronautical technicians who have been missing since October 18, following a gang ambush.

Dominican collaboration includes facilitating the transit of international contingents, transferring military equipment, and conducting medical evacuations, while authorities maintain they will not participate directly in the fighting on Haitian territory. 

As part of these movements, seven military helicopters, five Salvadoran and two Black Hawk-type, stopped yesterday at the El Rodeo fortress in Jimaní, Independencia province, before continuing toward Haiti.

• The Black Hawk is a multi-purpose military helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky. It transports troops and supplies, conducts medical evacuations, performs search-and-rescue missions, and supports combat operations.

The five Salvadoran helicopters, MD500E models identified as 48, 52, 54, 49, and 53, arrived at Las Américas International Airport (AILA) early Wednesday morning, the 28th. They flew from San Salvador on a Boeing 747-400 cargo plane operated by National Airlines, an American company.

According to a security report obtained by Diario Libre, the five MD500Es landed at the fortress at 3:45 p.m. yesterday. The two Black Hawks arrived at 4:10 p.m., and after refueling, all seven aircraft took off for Haiti at 5:00 p.m.

President Luis Abinader reported last Saturday, the 24th, that he spoke with Bukele to coordinate logistical and intelligence support in light of the situation in the neighboring country.

Bukele denies that it is an invasion

Amid the deployment, the Salvadoran president addressed the Haitian people yesterday to explain that the military operation seeks to rescue his four compatriots and not to occupy the territory.

“This is not an operation against the Haitian people, nor an invasion of the country of Haiti,” the president said in a message written in Haitian Creole and posted on his X account.

Bukele maintained that his Government has no interest in dominating Haiti or appropriating its wealth and assured that El Salvador assumes most of the costs of the operation.

“We are not a great power. We have no interest in coming to dominate the Haitian people, nor in laying hands on Haiti’s riches,” he stated.

The president also stated that his troops are seeking to confront the criminal organizations that are threatening the Haitian population.

“We are teaching the gangs a lesson,” said Bukele, who assured that his soldiers will return to El Salvador when the mission is over.

Murdered 

Two Haitian workers with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Bonaparte Février and Richard Alexandre , were murdered on the night of October 27 in Port-au-Prince, the organization reported in a statement released yesterday. The NRC described the deaths as brutal but did not specify how they occurred or identify those responsible. 

NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland condemned the murders and called on Haitian authorities and the international community to protect civilians and prevent further violence. He also emphasized that both young men were working to alleviate the suffering of their fellow Haitians and affirmed that the organization will continue its humanitarian mission in Haiti.