International

Little progress three months after the arrival in Haiti of the Security Support Mission

Three months after its deployment began in Haiti, the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMAS) still does not give the expected results: there is no significant progress, violence continues to reign and 80% of the capital remains in the hands of armed gangs.

“Are the Kenyans in Haiti? We have never seen them, no one has seen them. They don’t pass through the area,” neighbors and merchants of Marchand Salomon, in the heart of the capital, tell EFE.

If things have improved, they say, “it is by the will of the bandits that they have decided to let us work properly. The bandits use the area as a passage zone” and add: “If the Kenyans had come to save us, we would all be dead. It’s not the Kenyans who prevent the gangs from killing us. If they wanted to, they would do it.”

Lean results

Some patrols in certain streets, some joint operations with the Haitian National Police in Centre-ville in Port-au-Prince or in the communes of Delmas and Ganthier, clashes with armed gangs that result in deaths. This is the balance sheet of the multinational mission so far.

When visiting Haiti last Saturday, Kenyan President William Ruto praised the merits of the force, said that he had seen much progress in the Caribbean country and said that doubts, criticism and pessimism were decreasing in the face of Kenya leading a mission that has the approval of the UN.

According to Ruto, there is much more security at the airport, the National Palace, the State University Hospital, the Police Academy and the ports and now work is being done to reopen the roads (“the work is difficult, but we are capable of doing it”), but more resources and equipment are needed: “The troops we have in Haiti are not enough.”

On the ground you can see a resounding lack of logistics, equipment, personnel. The force should have 2,500 officers, but there are just over 420 (400 Kenyans, 20 soldiers and 4 Jamaican policemen and two Belizean soldiers). About twenty countries have committed to send troops and Ruto announced that, between October and November, another 600 troops from Kenya will be in Haiti.

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In those days William O’Neill, an independent expert on the human rights situation in Haiti, declared: “the equipment received is inadequate and the resources insufficient (…) I am sad to say that all the indicators are still extremely worrying. The first, and most worrying, is insecurity.”

The constant deterioration of security in Haiti

Only 28% of health services are functioning normally in Haiti, almost 5 million people suffer from acute food insecurity, there are at least 700,000 displaced people (more than half children) and security does not improve.

The Haitian Prime Minister, Garry Conille, recognizes it: “In the 100 days of this government, we have not yet seen important results (…) Especially in terms of security, but we have already laid the foundations. We have taken the time to design the national security strategy with the Police, the Army, the municipal security councils and the population.”

In view of this, the expert William O’Neill considers “crucial to suffocate the gangs by providing the Multinational Security Support Mission with the necessary means to be effective in supporting the operations of the Haitian National Police and applying the other measures provided for by the United Nations Security Council, in particular the sanctions regime and the selective arms embargo.”

Conille, for his part, assures that his government will not back down: “I have no doubt that together we will be able to restore security. We will help the displaced to return to their homes. We will reactivate our economy. We will make the necessary changes in our Constitution. And, finally, we will hold elections next year and there will be a new government on February 7, 2026.”

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Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.

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International

Macron meets Machado, stresses need for democratic transition in Venezuela

Emmanuel Macron met on Monday at the Élysée Palace with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, where they discussed the importance of advancing a democratic transition in Venezuela.

In a message shared on social media, Macron highlighted Machado’s commitment to freedom and stressed the need to achieve a transition that is peaceful and respects the will of the Venezuelan people.

“I received María Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Together, we discussed her commitment to freedom and the importance of achieving a democratic, peaceful transition in Venezuela that respects the will of its people,” he wrote.

For her part, Machado expressed her “deep gratitude” to Macron and to France for their support of democracy and freedom in Venezuela.

“We have gone through a long and painful journey, and we are now very close to freedom. Venezuela will become a nation of free and equal men and women—prosperous, safe, and united,” she said.

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International

Trump says Iran seeks new talks after failed negotiations in Pakistan

Donald Trump said on Monday that Iran has reached out to United States to resume negotiations, following the collapse of recent talks held in Islamabad.

“We’ve been contacted by the other side,” Trump told reporters, adding that Iran is eager to reach a deal “at all costs.” Speaking from the Oval Office, he reiterated that his main objective is to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons and warned that he will not allow Iran to “blackmail” the international community.

After negotiations between Washington and Tehran ended without agreement on Sunday, Trump announced that the U.S. would move to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil trade.

The waterway had already been disrupted by Iran in response to a U.S. and Israeli offensive launched on February 28, causing significant shocks to the global economy.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump further warned that any Iranian vessel attempting to bypass the U.S. naval blockade in the strait would be “eliminated immediately.”