US has no plans to offer military assistance to Haiti: reports

BY JORDAN WILLIAMS - 07/10/21 

© Getty Images

The Biden administration reportedly has no current plans to offer military assistance to Haiti following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse earlier this week.

A senior Biden administration official told Reuters and The New York Times late Friday that there were no plans to provide U.S. military assistance to Haiti at this time.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

Haiti requested security forces to guard critical infrastructure amid rising turmoil in the country following Moïse’s assassination.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph instituted a “state of siege” in the nation after Moïse was killed at his home in Port-au-Prince early Wednesday morning.

A congressional source told The Hill on Friday that the request for forces was “generically mentioned.”

“It's kind of been framed in this bucket of U.S. security assistance where in reality the Haitian government made a request for U.S. troops,” the source said.

But another source said there was confusion over the request and noted that the French word for “troops” can also refer to police.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that senior FBI and Department of Homeland Security officials would be dispatched to the country. She also said the U.S. would be providing financial resources.

Haiti has also requested forces from the United Nations Security Council, according to Reuters.

At least 19 people have been arrested following the assassination, including two Haitian Americans, James Solages and Joseph Vincent, and 17 Colombians.

The Colombian defense ministry confirmed Friday that 13 of its former soldiers are among the suspects, according to the Times.