Bukele to Haitian People: "This Isn't an Invasion. We're Here to Teach Gangs a Lesson"

On Thursday, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele addressed the people of Haiti with a message in Haitian Creole, clarifying that the large-scale military operation from his country is not an invasion. He assured that his forces are there to "teach a lesson to the gangs" terrorizing the population.

The message, shared on his X account while El Salvador completed the deployment of over 2,000 soldiers in Haiti, was written entirely in Creole and quickly garnered over a million views.

"This is not an operation against the Haitian people, nor an invasion of Haiti," Bukele stated, emphasizing that El Salvador has no intention of domination or seizing the Caribbean nation's resources.

The president explained that the immediate goal is to rescue four Salvadoran aviation technicians who have been missing since October 18. Their armored vehicle was ambushed with gunfire and explosives in Croix-des-Bouquets, approximately 12 kilometers from Port-au-Prince.

The four technicians were part of Task Force Freedom II, embedded within the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF). Their primary role was medical evacuations, not combat operations.

Bukele also highlighted the financial burden his government is bearing: "We are nearly the only ones funding this operation... we cover 90% of the expenses with our own resources," he stated, noting that other countries provide only limited logistical support.

Justifying the intervention, the Salvadoran leader referred to his nation's past experiences: "We endured a bloodbath that was even more terrible than what the Haitian people are suffering now," he wrote, alluding to the extreme violence that preceded his security policies.

"We are not in Haiti for money, because no one is paying us for this. We are here to fight against evildoers," he concluded.

The military escalation by El Salvador has been gradual. Before the ambush, the country had only 124 troops stationed in Haiti. On October 21, Bukele issued an ultimatum to the gangs: "Today's attack is nothing compared to what will come if you do not release the four hostages alive." Special forces arrived days later, followed by a contingent of 690 additional troops, eventually leading to the full deployment of over 2,000 soldiers announced by the Foreign Ministry.

On Wednesday, Bukele spoke with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to coordinate operations and reaffirm bilateral cooperation.

The gangs suspected of responsibility for the ambush are Chen Mechan and 400 Mawozo, active in the Croix-des-Bouquets area. The leader of 400 Mawozo, Wilson Joseph, known as "Lanmò San Jou," responded to Bukele's threats on social media by showing off weapons and denying holding the four Salvadorans.

The message concluded with a biblical quote from 2 Chronicles 7:14 and a plea for trust: "Help us to help Haiti. And when our mission is complete, we will return home."

As of Thursday evening, there was still no sign of the four aviation technicians. Romain Le Cour, an analyst with the Global Initiative Haiti Observatory, warned that the offensive "has not achieved any visible progress in recovering the four Salvadoran soldiers, which is the primary objective of these operations."