Expanding fight against Haitian gangs gets key backing from Latin, Caribbean nations

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald on Sep 10, 2025

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As a deadline approaches to renew the multinational force battling gangs in Haiti, a United States-led push to expand the effort has received backing from some Caribbean and Latin American nations.

Late Tuesday, foreign ministers at the Organization of American States issued a joint declaration of support, with some countries still signing on Wednesday.

The statement shows support for the ongoing efforts by the United States and Panama to help Haiti take on gangs that this year have already caused the deaths of more than 3,000 people.

The United States and Panama are currently in negotiations at the United Nations Security Council to widen the mandate of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support mission, whose current one-year mandate expires at the end of this month.

In its place, they want to create a more aggressive and lethal mission with double the target goals. They are calling it a Gang Suppression Force.

While the U.S. Security Council resolution specifically mentions the establishment of a Gang Suppression Force in Haiti through the creation of a U.N. Support Office, the OAS resolution leaves the name out. That was intentional and the result of negotiations led by Antigua and Barbados Ambassador Sir Ronald Sanders.

“This is not just about suppression,” Sanders said. “We have to think beyond suppressing the leadership of the gangs." Specifically the effort to help Haiti reestablish stability has to take into account there “are a lot of young kids, teenagers in these gangs and who are not responsible for their action,” he said.

This complexity of the security crisis came into view this week as United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher viewed a displacement camp and met with victims of the gang terror.

People repeatedly said they wanted to return to their homes while others acknowledged being left with no choice but to return to areas under gang control due to the conditions in the camps.

OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin, who recently unveiled a $2.3 million road map to help Haiti, welcomed the resolution of members.

“The Americas stand ready to help Haiti move toward peace, stability and prosperity,” Ramdin said in a post on X. “I look forward to the unanimous adoption of the Haiti resolution at the UN Security Council.”

Haiti watchers have commended the effort to establish a more aggressive and larger security mission for Haiti. But the effort does have challenges, starting with getting support on the Council, where both China and Russia have veto powers, and recent budget cuts to the U.N. by the Trump administration are creating confusion and concerns.

The Haiti force would be financed through U.N. members contributions to the peacekeeping budget, based on a proposal presented by U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres.

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