Approximately 400 Haitian police officers are set to travel to Brazil in the coming weeks to undergo specialized training aimed at bolstering Haiti’s efforts to combat rampant gang violence and insecurity. Armed groups currently control most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, as well as other regions of the country. The announcement was made on Monday, July 28, 2025, by Fritz Alphonse Jean, President of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (CPT), during an interview with international media, according to The Associated Press.
Fritz Alphonse Jean noted that Haiti currently has only around 10,000 police officers and 1,300 soldiers to protect a population of nearly 12 million people. In total, 700 members of the Haitian security forces—both police and military—are expected to receive training abroad in the coming months. Just last week, 150 Haitian soldiers were deployed to Mexico for similar training.
“Haiti is weak, and we need specialized training,” Jean stated. Earlier this year, he had already described the country as being “in a state of war.”
The CPT President has consistently called for a “war budget” to equip Haiti’s security forces with the necessary resources to counter criminal violence and organized crime. That call materialized in April with the adoption of a revised 2024–2025 national budget totaling 323.45 billion gourdes, with 37% of the public investment portion allocated to strengthening law enforcement, acquiring equipment, and bolstering intelligence services.
However, nearly three months after the budget’s approval, little progress has been observed on the ground. The security situation continues to deteriorate as Fritz Alphonse Jean prepares to hand over the rotating presidency of the CPT to Laurent Saint-Cyr, the representative of the private sector.
On the contrary, gangs have continued to expand their territorial control and inflict significant losses on security forces, which remain largely outmatched. Between January 1 and June 30, 2025, at least 3,141 people were killed, and more than 1.3 million others have been displaced in recent years due to escalating gang violence.
During Monday’s press conference with foreign correspondents, Jean said the government is working to accelerate the return of displaced Haitians to their homes. He highlighted an ongoing initiative led by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST), in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), to distribute financial assistance to tens of thousands of displaced individuals, many of whom are currently sheltering in schools and buildings belonging to the State University of Haiti (UEH).
Fritz Alphonse Jean also reiterated the Transitional Presidential Council’s commitment to holding elections, despite the extremely fragile conditions on the ground. Under the terms of the current transitional agreement, interim authorities are expected to transfer power to an elected government by February 7, 2026—a deadline that is rapidly approaching.
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