Salvadoran military forces have executed aerial bombardments deep within Haiti, striking the expansive residence of notorious gang commander Wilson Joseph, widely recognized as Lanmò Sanjou. The targeted compound served as the main operational base for the 400 Mawozo syndicate, which exerts control over regions such as Croix-des-Bouquets and the Cul-de-Sac Plain.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele released footage of the airstrikes on Tuesday, describing the military action as the fulfillment of a prior commitment. "We destroyed the Lanmò San Jou house and the 400 Mawozo gang’s headquarters," Bukele stated, adding that most gang members fled without offering resistance.
Why did El Salvador deploy forces to Haiti?
The military intervention was authorized by President Bukele following the mid-October ambush and kidnapping of Salvadoran aviation technicians in the Caribbean nation. Deploying more than 2,000 soldiers alongside attack helicopters, the Central American nation bypassed the framework of the United Nations-supported Gang Suppression Force to execute the unilateral mission.
While concrete evidence of Central Intelligence Agency backing for the operation remains absent, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to offer tacit approval when speaking with journalists at Mar-a-Lago. "He said that he has a big problem with Haiti. I said, look, you’re running your country, you have to do what you have to do," Trump remarked.
What is the broader impact on Haitian gangs?
Intelligence reports suggest that Salvadoran authorities may also target Jimmy Chérizier, a prominent gang leader widely known as Barbecue. Chérizier, a former officer of the Haitian National Police, currently leads a powerful coalition of armed groups.
This military push coincides with domestic security operations, including the November 6 neutralization of Mathias Saintil, a prominent mob boss who previously commanded the Boston faction in the Cité Soleil district of Port- au-Prince.
Reacting to Saintil's death, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé declared that armed syndicates would find no respite. "The gangs won’t be able to sleep!" the Prime Minister noted, emphasizing that efforts to free the country from criminal control remain resolute.