The President of the United States, Donald Trump, reportedly privately supported the expansion of Nayib Bukele's military deployment in Haiti, according to a revelation published this Friday by Axios. During a phone call on Tuesday, October 27, Trump allegedly told his Salvadoran counterpart, "Do what you have to do," according to individuals informed about the conversation.
Bukele contacted Trump to ensure that Washington had no objections to the operation, which was undertaken with the consent of Haitian authorities. The information from Axios describes a verbal endorsement and does not mention a formal military authorization from the United States or a commitment to send U.S. soldiers.
A White House official told the media that Trump expressed solidarity with Bukele regarding the disappearance of four members of the Salvadoran armed forces. A source familiar with the call assured that Bukele expressed confidence that he could complete his mission, although he acknowledged that difficulties could arise.
The search for four missing soldiers
The four Salvadoran aviation technicians disappeared on October 18 after their vehicle was attacked in Croix-des-Bouquets, near Port-au-Prince. El Salvador subsequently strengthened its involvement in security operations in Haiti and announced the deployment of additional personnel.
The Salvadoran government has announced an operation with more than 2,000 soldiers. Axios reports that some sources believe it is possible for that contingent to increase significantly, although there is no official announcement confirming any additional expansion.
El Salvador was already part of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), an international mission backed by the United Nations. According to Axios, the new intervention also includes a bilateral agreement with Haiti, approved on Wednesday.
Marco Rubio's reservations
The report indicates that Bukele had previously proposed that his country take on security tasks in Haiti as an indirect force for the United States. However, a knowledgeable source regarding those conversations stated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed reservations about that idea. The information does not indicate that these reservations constitute opposition to the current deployment.
Another source consulted by Axios stated that Washington officially rejected a Salvadoran request for equipment, which included drones and transport planes. The outlet also mentions the possibility that Colombia may indirectly contribute supplies, although this alternative has not been confirmed.
Bukele rejects that it is an invasion
On Thursday, the Salvadoran president stated in a message directed to the Haitian people that the operation "is not an invasion." He explained that its objective is to locate the four technicians and combat the armed groups that are affecting the population of the Caribbean country.
Bukele also discussed with the Prime Minister of Haiti, Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, about coordinating security efforts and the search for the missing persons. By the time Axios published its report, the discovery of the four soldiers had not been officially announced.
Related videos:
Filed under: