By Haitian Tribune Staff
November 13, 2026
BREAKING NEWS! El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele has warned gang members to leave the area around Sylvio Cator Stadium in Port-au-Prince, saying a joint Haitian-Salvadoran operation secured the facility and that an offensive could follow.
In a post on X, Bukele said the operation involved Haiti’s National Police, the Haitian Armed Forces, the government’s Task Force and Salvadoran Special Forces. He said the forces would establish an operational base at the stadium and use it as a position from which to move farther into areas controlled by gangs.
Bukele said officers found several human skulls inside the stadium during the operation. That claim has not been independently verified in the reporting available so far.
His warning was direct: gang members should leave before the offensive begins. He said those who remain and fight the forces would face the consequences.
Haitian police confirm stadium takeover
Haitian authorities have also reported that security forces regained control of the national stadium, which had been under gang control. The Haitian National Police said the Haitian force and the Task Force took the facility, after which Salvadoran soldiers were assigned to guard it. Le Nouvelliste reported that Salvadoran troops and vehicles were stationed inside the stadium on Thursday.
The stadium’s capture marks a significant shift in central Port-au-Prince, where armed groups have controlled key sites and neighborhoods. It also comes amid a broader Salvadoran deployment following an ambush in which four Salvadoran personnel went missing. The United Nations has said most Salvadoran personnel are operating outside the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force framework, raising questions about coordination, command and accountability.
Residents face growing danger
The planned base and threatened offensive could bring further fighting to communities near the stadium. Residents should take the warning seriously, avoid the stadium and nearby areas where security operations are underway, and follow instructions from Haitian authorities and emergency services.
The situation remains fluid. Authorities have not publicly provided details about the timing or scope of the next operation, nor have they released independent confirmation about the reported human remains.
The stadium’s recapture may give Haitian and Salvadoran forces a strategic position, but securing one site does not by itself restore safety across the capital. Any push into gang-held areas will put civilians at risk and require clear coordination, protection for residents, and transparent reporting on the operation’s conduct and results.
the Haitian Tribune NewsRoom
