• Analysis
Haitian Police Retake National Stadium From Gangs After Two Years
Haitian security forces on Thursday regained control of the Sylvio Cator Stadium in Port-au-Prince, the country's main national football stadium, which gangs had held for two years. The Haitian National Police said it took the venue alongside the Task Force, a private security group serving the government.
Who holds the stadium now
The Haitian National Police said it had taken "full control" of the Sylvio Cator Stadium together with the Task Force, a private security group serving the government. After the operation, the venue was left under the guard of Salvadoran soldiers, who state-run television said took up position there on Thursday.
Part of El Salvador's deployment
The retaking of the stadium sits within the deployment of some 2,000 soldiers ordered by El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele. The mission's original purpose was to rescue four Salvadoran soldiers who went missing after an ambush on October 18 in Port-au-Prince. The four belong to the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force (GSF), which distances itself from the actions of the troops sent for the rescue mission.
- •Bukele announced last Tuesday that his troops had destroyed the "headquarters" of 400 Mawozo, one of Haiti's main gangs.
- •The Salvadoran president has drawn attention for bringing gangs to heel at home, though he faces accusations of human rights violations.
Two years of gang control
The roughly 10,000-capacity stadium fell into the hands of Haiti gangs in 2024, when armed groups controlled much of the country. The violence forced Haiti's national football team to play its World Cup qualifying matches in Curaçao rather than at home.
The stadium is now under the guard of Salvadoran soldiers, who state-run television said took up position there on Thursday.
