The US Embassy in Haiti announced the arrival of three warships in the Caribbean country’s capital, Port-au-Prince. In a statement released on social media, the US diplomatic service said: “At the direction of the secretary of war, the USS Stockdale, USCGC Stone, and USCGC Diligence have arrived in the Bay of Port-au-Prince as part of Operation Southern Spear.”

Operation Southern Spear was publicly announced by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in November 2025 and includes the deployment of military forces in Latin America to, according to the Pentagon, combat vessels used by drug traffickers and “narco-terrorist” cartels.

The US invasion of Venezuela on January 3, in which President Nicolás Maduro was taken prisoner and extradited to the United States called “Operation Absolute Resolve”, was made possible by Operation Southern Spear and the deployment of significant military resources to the Caribbean.

According to some estimates, the airstrikes on vessels in the Caribbean and the Pacific as part of Operation Southern Spear has already left more than a hundred people dead, not counting the nearly 100 killed during the US military incursion into Venezuelan territory.

According to the US Embassy in Haiti, the arrival of the US warships is related to security activities: “Their presence reflects the United States’ unwavering commitment to Haiti’s security, stability, and brighter future. The US Navy and US Coast Guard reaffirm their partnership and support to ensure a safer and more prosperous Haiti.”

Are US ships arriving to fight gangs in Haiti?

It is still unknown whether Washington has sent its warships to take direct action in Haiti or another country, or whether this is a new maneuver to continue its project of expanding its influence in the Caribbean.

It is important to remember that February 7 marks the end of the mandate of the Presidential Transition Council, a body created to govern the island in the face of political volatility. The end of the mandate has created a lot of internal tension in the country, and Washington’s move could be seen as a way to ensure a transition favorable to its interests.

The truth is that this move has not gone unnoticed by several analysts, who have pointed out that just a few days ago Washington warned that the Cuban government posed a threat to its national security.

Read more: The US is using “blackmail and coercion” to intensify the blockade, says Cuba

However, it is also true that the United States recently announced new visa restrictions on senior Haitian government officials who, according to Washington, are linked to gangs operating on the island.

The US authorities have yet to provide further clarification on the reasons behind this recent military move.

The ongoing crisis in Haiti

Haiti is currently experiencing a severe security crisis that has plunged the country into a maelstrom of violence in which rival gangs are fighting for control of the territory. In 2021, President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by foreign mercenaries who, according to authorities, were almost entirely Colombian. Since then, Haiti has been in a political and security crisis that seems to have no end. According to some estimates, nearly 200,000 people have been displaced as a result of the violence.

In response to this, several UN countries launched the so-called Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, through which troops from various countries, especially Kenya, would carry out control tasks in collaboration with the Haitian police. This operation has been highly questioned for its lack of positive results, and some critics have pointed to a new scheme whereby rich countries (especially the United States, the main financier of the Mission) pay troops from poor countries to carry out security tasks.

The unfavorable results led the UN to decide to send a new multinational force to Haiti, called the Gang Elimination Force, which will replace the former mission. This new force will have more powers and capabilities, according to the UN, to confront the gangs, although many Haitians are skeptical.

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