By Daniella Saint-Louis, Gazette Haiti, Nov. 3, 2026
In statements made public on October 30 and November 2, 2026, the United Nations (UN) distanced itself from the request for mediation made by Wilson Joseph, alias "Lanmò San Jou", leader of the "400 Mawozo" gang, while providing details on the deployment of more than 2,000 Salvadoran soldiers announced by President Nayib Bukele.
The UN has clarified its position regarding the actions taken by the head of this criminal organization and the framework for the Salvadoran reinforcements' intervention in Haiti. It specifies that receiving the correspondence does not constitute approval of its content and that the majority of the new troops do not fall under its support mandate.
"This is an unusual move, to say the least. Wilson Joseph, one of Haiti's most feared gang leaders, has sent a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, calling for the opening of a dialogue with the international forces present in the country," the organization reports.
The spokesman for the Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, confirmed receipt of this correspondence, while specifying that it did not in any way commit the United Nations.
He stressed that receiving such a letter does not constitute an endorsement of its content, recognition of its author, or a statement of position by the organization.
The UN provides details on the deployment of Salvadoran soldiers
Following the announcement of the deployment of more than 2,000 Salvadoran troops, the UN indicated that the vast majority of these reinforcements were not part of the Gang Repression Force (FRG), a non-UN multinational mission authorized by the Security Council.
These soldiers therefore fall outside the mandate to support the United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH), the structure responsible for providing logistical and operational assistance to the FRG.
This situation raises questions about the framework for intervention and the supervision mechanisms applicable to these foreign reinforcements.
The United Nations also reiterates that all security operations, whether conducted by the FRG, the Haitian authorities or their partners, must respect international law, in particular human rights and international humanitarian law.
Respect for these obligations, as well as transparency and accountability, remains essential to maintaining international support and ensuring the protection of the population, Stéphane Dujarric insisted.
After years of violence, the leader of "400 Mawozo" is requesting UN mediation.
The gang leader's request for mediation comes in a context marked by the arrival of Salvadoran reinforcements in Haiti, after several years of violence attributed to his criminal organization.
In a letter addressed to the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, on November 1st, Wilson Joseph stated that he had "raised the white flag" since August 20th. He specifically requested the dispatch of an international delegation to facilitate dialogue in the Cul-de-Sac Plain.
However, the gang leader is subject to UN Security Council sanctions due to his involvement in serious acts of violence.
He is notably implicated in the assassinations of police officers and civilians, kidnappings, vehicle hijackings, and other criminal activities. The international sanctions dossier specifically mentions the assassination of a police commissioner in Croix-des-Bouquets in 2022, as well as the kidnapping, in October 2021, of 17 foreign missionaries and their family members, including five children.
While seeking UN mediation in the name of peace, the gang leader had, from the very first statements of the Salvadoran president, published a video in which he displayed a large quantity of ammunition, thus showing his willingness to face possible confrontations.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé reaffirmed on Tuesday, November 3, that the operations carried out against armed groups on Haitian territory were taking place under the coordination of the government.
He also mentioned the strengthening of the FRG's personnel, with the arrival of new international contingents, particularly from El Salvador.
Operations involving Salvadoran soldiers were reported on Monday, November 2nd, in the Cul-de-Sac Plain. Videos circulating on social media show heavily armed soldiers deployed in an intervention position on Haitian territory.
The Salvadoran president himself relayed, on his X account, one of these sequences, initially published by "Dènye Pawòl", accompanied by the caption: "Men mesye Bukele yo atè".
However, no official consolidated report on these operations has yet been released. Unconfirmed reports indicate the liberation of several hostages in the Cul-de-Sac Plain.
Posted Nov. 7, 2026