Blackwater Founder’s Firm Begins Haiti Deployment Amid Soaring Gang Violence

Vectus Global, the security firm founded by Erik Prince, has commenced the deployment of nearly 200 international personnel to Haiti. This move, part of a one-year agreement, aims to assist the Haitian government in reclaiming vast territories currently controlled by heavily armed gangs, a source familiar with the plans confirmed.

The deployment by Prince’s company, which specializes in logistics, infrastructure, security, and defense, is intended to support Haiti’s National Police and the struggling UN-backed mission led by Kenyan officers. This initiative follows the recent appointment of André Jonas Vladimir Paraison as Haiti’s new police director general.

Haiti continues to grapple with extreme gang violence, particularly from the powerful Viv Ansanm federation, designated a foreign terrorist organization by the U.S. earlier this year. This group was responsible for major attacks in early 2024, including prison breaks and the closure of the main international airport, which ultimately led to the resignation of then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

While the U.S. government has stated no involvement or funding in this private contract, experts like Romain Le Cour Grandmaison warn that such operations could fragment authority without a coherent, jointly led Haitian and international strategy. Recent data from April to June indicates over 1,520 fatalities and 600 injuries, with more than 1.3 million people displaced by the ongoing crisis.

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