Wilson Joseph, leader of Haiti’s 400 Mawozo coalition, appealed to the United Nations to mediate peace talks with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. (Foto: Instagram)
Wilson Joseph, leader of Haiti’s 400 Mawozo criminal coalition, asked the United Nations to mediate peace talks with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. The request, made Sunday, Nov. 1, came 10 days after more than 2,000 Salvadoran troops arrived in Haiti, following the disappearance of four Salvadoran soldiers during a confrontation with Haitian criminal groups.
Joseph, also known as Lanmò San Jou, addressed his appeal to UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a letter calling for a truce. He leads 400 Mawozo, which operates primarily in Croix-des-Bouquets, near Port-au-Prince. Salvadoran soldiers were attacked in the area on Oct. 18, according to the account.
Haiti is facing a severe public security crisis, with criminal coalitions controlling about 80% of Port-au-Prince, the report said. The UN has backed the creation of the Gang Suppression Force, which includes El Salvador and other countries from the Global South. On Oct. 18, four Salvadoran troops assigned to security in Port-au-Prince went to a local market for supplies. Their vehicle was fired on as they passed through Croix-des-Bouquets, and gangs abducted them. They are suspected of being held hostage.
After learning of the abduction, Bukele issued an ultimatum demanding the soldiers’ release. When the gangs did not respond, he ordered 2,000 troops to Haiti to rescue the Salvadorans alive. Joseph’s appeal followed that deployment. Haitian media reported that he said criminal coalitions had been expressing willingness since August to pursue a peaceful resolution to the national crisis through dialogue between the international forces in Haiti and 400 Mawozo.
In the letter, Joseph warned that civilians were already facing alarming violence and could be the first victims if Bukele acted out of revenge. He said he feared the president’s statements and threats could lead to an escalation and a cycle of reprisals. The group is reported to engage in kidnappings, extortion, trafficking, killings and gang rapes of women and minors, which it uses as a tactic to terrorize local residents.
One of 400 Mawozo’s most widely known kidnappings involved 17 missionaries, including 16 U.S. citizens and one Canadian. The group also held five children. All of the hostages were later released after third parties made large payments, according to the report. The U.S. government has offered a $1 million reward for Joseph, who has been indicted in the United States on charges related to kidnapping, including conspiracy to commit kidnapping.
