The President of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT), Fritz Alphonse Jean, announced on Monday, July 28, that Haiti will send 400 police officers to Brazil next month for training. This initiative aims to help the country confront the gang violence overwhelming it. Currently, Haiti has only about 10,000 police officers and 1,300 soldiers to protect a nation of nearly 12 million people, Fritz Alphonse Jean stated.

In total, 700 Haitian police officers and soldiers will receive training abroad in the coming months and will later join a Kenya-led, UN-backed mission to combat gangs. “Haiti is weak, and we need specialized training,” Mr. Jean said during a press conference for international media.