The Haitian government has signed a contract with Mr. Prince, the private military contractor who founded Blackwater, a company notorious for a civilian massacre in Iraq.

Author: David C. Adams, Frances Robles and Mark Mazzetti
Published on: 28/05/2025 | 00:00:00

AI Summary:
Erik Prince is working with Haiti’s government to conduct lethal operations against gangs that are terrorizing the nation and threatening to take over its capital. Mr. Prince, founder of Blackwater Worldwide, signed a contract to take on the criminal groups that have been killing civilians and seizing control of vast areas of territory. The Haitian government has hired American contractors to deploy drones meant to kill gang members. This article is based on interviews with a dozen people who follow Haiti closely. All but one spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss sensitive security matters publicly. The State Department has provided millions of dollars in funding to equip and train Haiti’s National Police. Mr. Prince owns other private military entities. Since drone attacks targeting gangs started in March, they have killed more than 200 people. Private military contractors are looking for new opportunities, and they see possibilities in Latin America. Before presidential elections in Ecuador this year, Mr. Prince toured the country with local police and promised to help security forces. Whitewater faced legal problems over its work for the U.S. Military in Iraq. In 2011, Mr. Prince recruited former spies to help conservative activists infiltrate liberal groups in the United Arab Emirates. A year later, the United Nations accused him of violating an arms embargo in Libya. Mr. Joseph said he was uncomfortable with the idea of contractors working directly with the Haitian government. Mr. Prince told him that he planned to send private soldiers from El Salvador to Haiti along with helicopters to engage in attacks against the gangs. Experts stress that Haitians are desperate for solutions regardless of where they come from. Mr. Joseph said he worried outsourcing the work of fighting gangs to private military contractors would not do anything to improve the skills of the Haitian police and military. Frances Robles is a Times reporter covering Latin America and the Caribbean.

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