©️Mauricio Torres
The American businessman Erik Prince, founder of the ex-Blackwater and close ally of Donald Trump, claims to have signed a ten-year agreement with the Haitian government. His company, Vectus Global, will have to secure the country against gangs and then take part in the collection of border taxes. An unprecedented commitment that raises many questions about sovereignty and the role of the private sector in national security.
Private security magnate Erik Prince, known for founding the controversial Blackwater military company, says his forces will remain in Haiti for a decade. In an exclusive interview with Reuters, he states that his company, Vectus Global, entered into a ten-year agreement with the Haitian authorities to conduct an offensive against armed gangs that control much of the territory, before participating directly in the national tax collection system.
Vectus Global plans to install a tax system for goods transiting through the border with the Dominican Republic once the security situation has stabilized. Prince hopes to see, within a year, the main roads freed from criminal influence: « A sign of success will be the day when one can drive from Port-au-Prince to Cap-Haitien in an ordinary vehicle, without fear of gang control. »
Deployed discreetly since March, the company has already used drones in support of Haitian forces. In the coming weeks, it plans to send several hundred men from the United States, Europe and El Salvador, including snipers, intelligence and communications experts, as well as helicopters and ships to support operations.
The President of the Transitional Presidential Council, Laurent Saint-Cyr, and his predecessor did not react to the revelations about this long-term commitment. No details were filtered on the amount of the contract or tax revenue expected.
Former Navy Seal, Erik Prince forged a world reputation — and controversial — Since Blackwater was founded in 1997. The company was sold in 2010 after the involvement of its employees in the death of 14 civilians in Baghdad, an episode ended with a presidential pardon granted by Donald Trump.
Since the latter's return to the White House, Prince has increased security contracts abroad, particularly in Ecuador and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, combining the fight against organized crime and the management of public resources or revenues.
According to experts, the scale of the role given to Vectus Global in Haiti makes it difficult to imagine such a commitment without Washington's endorsement.
W.A.
