In brief
Armed men took the chief of staff to Haiti’s defence ministry and top police inspector general in Port‑au‑Prince, also abducting his wife and child. A ransom has been requested. Analysts say the kidnapping reflects a broader trend of gangs targeting officials in zones once deemed safe. UN figures show thousands killed and displaced in 2026.
In a chilling development, armed men seized James Boyard, chief of staff to Haiti’s defence ministry and the country’s top police inspector general, on Thursday in Port‑au‑Prince.
The kidnapping also involved Boyard’s wife and six‑year‑old daughter, according to reports from the Associated Press and the New York Times.
Authorities say a ransom has been demanded, though the exact amount remains undisclosed.
Boyard, recently appointed to aid the reconstruction of Haiti’s armed forces, was the highest‑ranking security figure abducted in the region in recent years.
Analysts warn that the surge of kidnappings reflects broader gang control in Port‑au‑Prince, a city once considered safe.
The United Nations recorded more than 2,300 deaths and 1,100 injuries from gang violence in 2026, with 99 kidnapping incidents noted.
The UN Refugee Agency estimates nearly 1.5 million people have been displaced due to the violence.
International Crisis Group analyst Diego Da Rin notes gangs targeting public officials may be a strategy to reduce law‑enforcement pressure or secure higher ransoms.
The multinational police force deployed to contain the violence has struggled to operate in gang‑dominated districts.
