VIDEO: Bukele challenges Haitian gangs: “It seems they don’t want to fight us”

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has shared videos showing Salvadoran soldiers patrolling streets in Port-au-Prince, accompanying the footage with a message directed at armed gangs: “It seems the gangs don’t want to fight us…”

The videos show troops moving through the Haitian capital in formation. Some residents can also be seen applauding and greeting the soldiers as they pass through the streets.

Bukele’s message comes amid efforts to confront armed groups that have expanded their influence across parts of Haiti. The deployment has drawn attention to El Salvador’s participation in efforts to support Haitian security forces.

The images have also fueled political comparisons over the use of force against armed groups and the treatment of civilians. However, a patrol without visible clashes does not establish that gangs have fled, surrendered their weapons or lost control of the areas where they operate.

The effectiveness of the operation will ultimately depend on whether Haitian communities experience lasting improvements in security, freedom of movement and protection from gang violence.