Haitian police retake Sylvio-Cator stadium from gangs
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on L’essentiel
Haitian police have regained control of Sylvio-Cator stadium in Port-au-Prince, occupied by gangs for two years. The site is to serve as an operational base for Salvadoran soldiers to continue their offensive against gangs, according to Haitian police and President Nayib Bukele.
Haitian police announced on Thursday that they had regained full control of Sylvio-Cator stadium in Port-au-Prince, which had been occupied by gangs since 2024. The site was subsequently placed under the protection of Salvadoran soldiers, an AFP photographer observed.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele announced the establishment of an operational base at the stadium to continue the offensive against gangs. He called on members of armed groups to leave the area and warned those who remained to fight Salvadoran forces that they would have to face the consequences, in a post on X in Haitian Creole.
The operation follows Nayib Bukele’s announcement on Tuesday of the destruction of the headquarters of 400 Mawozo, one of Haiti’s main criminal gangs. Salvadoran soldiers have been operating since late October outside the framework of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force, according to AFP.
The retaking of the stadium comes after the deployment of 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers to Haiti, announced on 30 October, followed by the arrival of a Salvadoran convoy in Port-au-Prince, observed on 2 November.
