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**Colombia Opens Embassy in Haiti, Pledges Security Support Amid Gang Violence Crisis**

**Port-au-Prince, Haiti** – Colombian President Gustavo Petro inaugurated a new Colombian embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Friday, signaling a deepened commitment to the Caribbean nation as it grapples with escalating gang violence. This marks Petro’s second visit to Haiti this year.

The Colombian government said the discussions focused on security, commerce, education, agriculture and the fight against drug trafficking.

Petro also pledged to assist Haiti in bolstering its security forces, offering training for Haitian officers. Haitian officials have been observing Colombia’s state-owned arms manufacturing capabilities.

“The time has come to truly unite,” Petro stated in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The visit comes at a critical time for Haiti, where an estimated 90% of the capital is under gang control, and a recent UN report indicates at least 4,864 people have been killed between October and June. The violence has displaced 1.3 million people. The country is also battling increased drug trafficking, evidenced by a recent seizure of over 1,000kg of cocaine.

Accompanying Petro was Colombian Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez, and meetings were held with Haitian Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime and the transitional presidential council, which faces pressure to hold elections by February 2026.

The strengthened ties between the two countries come as Haitian judges continue to investigate 17 former Colombian soldiers implicated in the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise. The opening of the embassy also prompted President Petro to question why previous administrations had not established a diplomatic presence in Haiti, given Haiti’s historical role in Colombia’s independence.

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