Erik Prince pitches a decade-long Haiti plan that blends security action with later tax reform
Erik Prince, the longtime ally of former President Donald Trump and founder of the Blackwater security firm, says his company, Vectus Global, has a 10-year plan for Haiti. The approach begins with a vigorous push to dismantle the country’s criminal gangs and, once stability returns, shifts to helping design and implement a system to tax goods imported across Haiti’s border with the Dominican Republic.
Prince told a Reuters interview that Vectus Global would design and implement a border tax program after the security situation is stabilized. He envisions a staged timeline in which major roads and key territories currently controlled by gangs could be wrestled away within about a year, with security gains serving as a foundation for tax reform.
Details on funding and terms of payment from the Haitian government for Vectus Global were not disclosed. Haitian officials, including Laurent Saint-Cyr, the country’s transitional council president, did not respond to requests for comment, just as other top council leaders have in recent days. Vectus began operating in Haiti in March, deploying drones in coordination with a prime minister-led task force. The long-term plan to engage in tax collection had not been previously reported.
A person familiar with Vectus’ Haiti operations said the company intends to intensify a multi-front fight against gangs in the coming weeks, coordinating with Haitian police and deploying several hundred security personnel from the United States, Europe, and El Salvador. The group is reported to field snipers, intelligence and communications specialists, along with aircraft and maritime assets. The personnel are described as including French and Creole speakers to aid on-the-ground operations.
Prince, a former U.S. Navy SEAL, rose to prominence with Blackwater in 1997 and later sold the company in 2010 after Blackwater employees were convicted in connection with the Nisour Square shootings in Baghdad. Those convictions led to pardons granted by Trump during his first term in the White House.
The Haitian crisis has drawn international attention in recent months. The security situation has fueled a humanitarian emergency, with international observers warning that unresolved gang violence could continue to displace hundreds of thousands of people and threaten political processes. Previous international efforts, including U.N.-backed missions, have faced criticism for falling short of stabilizing the country. Some observers argue that any security-driven approach must be tightly balanced with governance reforms and transparent oversight to avoid entrenching parallel power centers.
While Prince’s plan emphasizes a security-first path to stability followed by fiscal reform, questions remain about sovereignty, governance, and oversight. Critics would likely seek assurances that private security activities would operate under Haitian law, with clear lines of accountability and measurable, civilian-focused outcomes.
Summary
Erik Prince promotes a 10-year Haiti plan in which Vectus Global would first suppress gangs and then help Haiti design and implement a border-based tax system, with operation details including drone and armed-security support and a multinational team. The proposal arrives amid a broader international debate about how best to stabilize Haiti while safeguarding governance and civilian rights.
Additional value and context
– Watch for official reactions from Haiti’s transitional authorities on licensing, oversight, and financing of private security involvement.
– Monitor any updates on funding, contracts, and standards of engagement to assess how risks to civilians and sovereignty are addressed.
– Consider the broader regional implications, given international interest in Haiti’s security and the ongoing debate over UN or hybrid peacekeeping roles.
– Context note: Haiti has faced a severe security crisis with widespread displacement and calls from international leaders for stronger action, highlighting the complexity of stabilizing a fragile state while building accountable institutions.
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