A first group of 150 Haitian soldiers departed from Port-au-Prince on Thursday to Mexico, where they will undergo a three-month military training program.
The initiative is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the Haitian armed forces in response to the country’s deepening security crisis, CNN has reported. The outlet noted that details regarding the composition of the group were not disclosed.
“This is an essential part of our roadmap to restore security, rebuild public institutions, and pave the way for democratic elections,” said Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé in an official statement. “It reflects the government’s firm commitment to reestablish republican order, restore state authority across the territory, and ensure the protection of every citizen,” the Prime Minister’s office added.
In total, 700 Haitian soldiers are expected to receive training in Mexico over the coming months, according to Haitian authorities.
“This training is part of an ambitious military cooperation program through which the Mexican government has committed to training 700 Haitian troops. Historically focused on specialized training, military cooperation between Haiti and Mexico has taken a new turn under Minister Jean-Michel Moïse, who formally requested Mexico’s support in structuring the training of new recruits,” read a separate statement issued by Haiti’s Ministry of Defense.
The Defense Ministry emphasized that “strengthening military personnel is now a top priority in light of escalating violence across the country,” while also acknowledging the lack of proper training camps and military infrastructure in Haiti.
CNN reported that it had reached out to the Mexican government for further details about the training program and its structure, but had not yet received a response.
Mexico’s selection as a partner country is not coincidental. Mexican security forces have decades of experience combatting armed groups, particularly drug cartels, although these efforts have not significantly reduced levels of violence. Homicide rates in Mexico remain near historic highs, CNN noted.
On Wednesday, July 24, 2025, as part of growing bilateral cooperation, Haiti’s Ministry of Defense hosted an official delegation from Mexico. During the visit, Mexican officials delivered military equipment “intended to support the modernization and strengthening of Haiti’s armed forces,” according to the Ministry.
Meanwhile, security conditions in Haiti continue to deteriorate, despite repeated calls for international assistance. In recent years, thousands of civilians have been killed or injured in gang attacks, and the United Nations estimates that nearly 1.3 million people have been internally displaced by the violence.
Last year, Haiti received several hundred Kenyan police officers as part of the U.S.-backed Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission. However, the international deployment has failed to stem the violence. Since the MSS began operations, gangs have expanded into rural areas, including the agriculturally vital Artibonite region.
According to the UN, clashes in Artibonite have recently displaced an additional 15,000 people. CNN also reports that two Kenyan police officers have died since their arrival in Haiti.
The Haitian government continues to explore additional security solutions. Sending troops to Mexico is part of that broader strategy, though the short-term effectiveness of such measures remains uncertain.
“What we hope for is a gradual strengthening of our national forces,” a senior Haitian security official told CNN anonymously. “We need a disciplined, well-trained core group to reestablish a basic level of order.”
With the country still lacking an elected president following the 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moïse and with key state institutions largely paralyzed, Haitian leadership views military capacity building as a prerequisite for any path toward national stability.
No exact date has been announced for the return of the initial group of soldiers who departed this week, nor have further steps in the training program been detailed.
https://ctninfo.com/?p=35770&preview=true
Source: CNN
