WORLD NEWS – According to Reuters, private security contractor and Donald Trump ally Erik Prince has announced plans to maintain his company’s presence in Haiti for the next ten years under an agreement with the Haitian government. Prince, founder of the former Blackwater security firm, stated that his company, Vectus Global, will not only work to combat the country’s armed gangs but will also play a future role in tax collection once stability is restored.
Prince said Vectus Global intends to secure major transportation routes within about a year, aiming to make travel between Port-au-Prince and Cap-Haïtien safe without gang interference. The agreement includes developing a system to tax goods entering Haiti from the Dominican Republic—traditionally one of the country’s main sources of tax revenue before gangs disrupted trade.
While Haitian officials have not publicly commented on the arrangement, sources familiar with the deal told Reuters that Vectus plans to deploy several hundred trained fighters from the United States, Europe, and El Salvador, as well as drones, helicopters, and boats. The force will target gangs that have seized large areas, including critical transport routes.
Prince, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, has previously advised foreign governments on security matters and secured contracts involving resource protection. His past firm, Blackwater, faced controversy after employees were convicted in a 2007 incident in Iraq; they were later pardoned by Trump.
Haiti’s security crisis has intensified in recent years, with gangs accused of widespread violence, including kidnappings, massacres, and extortion. The instability has crippled trade, deepened food insecurity, and left over 8,000 people in displacement camps at risk of famine.
Critics, including human rights advocates, have expressed concern about relying on private military companies, citing risks of human rights abuses and questioning the long-term sustainability of such operations. Others warn that investing heavily in foreign contractors could divert resources from strengthening Haiti’s own security forces.
U.S. officials told Reuters they have no involvement in or oversight of Prince’s Haiti operations. The Haitian transitional council’s new president, Laurent Saint-Cyr, has publicly urged greater international assistance to combat the country’s gangs.
By the Midtown Times Staff. Adapted from Reporting, initially published by Reuters.
