In a frank interview with Listín Diario, Spanish colonel and geopolitical analyst Pedro Baños weighed in on the deepening crisis in Haiti, the role of foreign intervention, and the global balance of power, including US foreign policy, the Middle East conflict, and the influence of global powers.
On 25 June 2024, the first convoy of an international security force arrived in Haiti with one goal: to restore public order — at any cost. A year later, the Multinational Security Support Mission, led by Kenya and backed by the United Nations, has failed to stabilize the country, says Baños.
“It is very difficult to stabilize a country with foreign forces. Stabilization must come from within — with external assistance, yes — but from within,” said Baños, 64, during the Desayuno de Listín Diario interview.
According to the retired Spanish colonel, what Haiti urgently needs is not more international boots on the ground, but “a strong, responsible government” that can impose authority with firmness across its territory.
Baños, an expert in armed conflict, terrorism, and global security, warned that Haiti’s criminal gangs have reached levels of brutality comparable to those of the Islamic State (ISIS).
“There’s no other way to eliminate these criminal groups, which are committing absolute savagery,” he said. “The information I receive from contacts in the Dominican Republic is hair-raising — even for Islamic State fighters.”
Baños didn’t hold back in criticizing the effectiveness of international peacekeeping efforts, claiming they often lack proper structure, motivation, or legal authority — and in some cases, become entangled in corruption or abuse.
“Many of these forces become ineffective — or worse, embroiled in scandal,” he noted.
Instead of deploying more troops, Baños urged the United Nations to focus on helping build a functioning government in Haiti.
“The UN should prioritize creating a strong, stable government that can act with severity and firm leadership in a country that is currently completely broken.”
He also emphasized that Haiti’s crisis isn’t just a domestic matter — it poses a direct threat to the Dominican Republic due to increased migration, border insecurity, and pressure on public services.
“The greater the instability in Haiti, the more it affects the Dominican Republic — particularly in terms of security,” he said.
The UN-backed mission, made up of troops from Kenya, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Guatemala, and El Salvador, has so far struggled to restore order. According to The New York Times, the mission’s mandate expires in October, and its funding is set to run out in September. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has yet to confirm whether it will continue financing the effort.
Support for Abinader’s border policies
Asked about President Luis Abinader’s tougher stance on immigration, Baños didn’t hesitate to voice his approval.
“I completely agree with those measures,” he said, adding that immigration policy should be treated as a long-term state strategy, free from ideological or partisan agendas.
“This must be addressed strategically, in a way that benefits both those arriving and those already living here,” he said, referring to the daily crossings of Haitian migrants into the Dominican Republic.
Abinader’s government has increased deportations, implemented public hospital protocols, conducted raids, and started extending the border wall by 13 kilometers — with the second phase already underway. The border wall has been mostly effective reducing the robbery of cattle in border provinces.
Against mercenaries in Haiti
Baños also strongly opposed the idea of deploying mercenaries or private military contractors in Haiti — a country plunged into crisis after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
“I don’t support mercenaries. I prefer regular armed forces,” he said. “These contractors operate outside the framework of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva and Hague conventions.”
Baños, who has written extensively on private military companies, warned of their legal and ethical risks. He emphasized that these groups are often used by major powers in a legal gray zone.
“There’s no international law that regulates them — only the Montreal agreements,” he said.
He also pointed to past failures, such as the documented abuses committed by private contractors in Iraq.
According to The New York Times, the Haitian government has in recent months turned to American contractors — including Erik Prince, a close Trump ally — as part of a secret drone operation targeting gang members.
Colonel Baños visited the Dominican Republic at the invitation of the Fundación El Demócrata to promote discussions on geopolitics, disinformation, and the impact of fake news in the region. His visit includes the launch of his new book, Geohispanidad: La Potencia Hispana en el Nuevo Orden Geopolítico, a project that took two years to complete.
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Listin Diario
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30 June 2025