The facts
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele announced a military operation to rescue four air force personnel who went missing in Haiti on Sunday. Bukele stated that Wednesday's attack was minor compared to what would occur if the personnel were not returned alive. The four individuals, described as non-combatants whose roles included medical evacuations, were ambushed by armed groups in Croix-des-Bouquets, an area controlled by gangs. They were part of the UN-approved Gang Suppression Force. The Salvadoran armed forces reported that the personnel's armored vehicle caught fire after being hit by explosives. Attempts to reach them by land and air were hampered by fighting and security conditions. The Gang Suppression Force confirmed engaging armed gang members with helicopter support. No gang has claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. The UN has warned of escalating gang reprisals against civilians in Haiti, a country facing political instability and widespread gang violence.
Our take
Well, well, look who's puffing out his chest and threatening 'severe consequences' from the safety of his presidential palace. Nayib Bukele, the strongman of El Salvador who loves nothing more than a photo op in tactical gear, has managed to lose four of his own air force personnel in a Haitian shitshow his country signed up for. These poor fucks weren't even combat troops; they were there for medical evacuations, which is like sending a fucking ambulance crew into the middle of a Mad Max thunderdome and acting shocked when they get carjacked. Their armored vehicle got lit up by explosives in Croix-des-Bouquets, a place so thoroughly owned by gangs that the local welcome sign probably reads 'Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here.' Now Bukele is posturing like some avenging angel, warning that Wednesday's little skirmish was 'minor' compared to what's coming. Oh, fuck off. You sent non-combatants into a UN-approved gang-suppression mission that's basically a glorified turkey shoot, their rescue attempts got hamstrung because - surprise! - the area is a war zone, and now you're trying to play the tough guy? The sheer fucking audacity. This prick's entire brand is built on being the hardass who cleans up the streets, but his strategy for international affairs appears to be: 1) Deploy people, 2) Lose people, 3) Tweet threats. Not a single gang has even claimed responsibility, probably because they're too busy counting the ransom money or wondering who the hell these new guys in the fancy armored car were. Meanwhile, the UN is warning that gang reprisals against civilians are getting worse, which means Bukele's little rescue fantasy might just pour more gasoline on a burning country while he sits back and drafts his next heroic statement. What a magnificent, self-important cunt. Maybe next time, don't send your medical evacuation team into a neighborhood that requires an air strike just to deliver a pizza. Absolute clown show, top to bottom. The only thing escalating here is the level of bullshit emanating from a president who thinks foreign policy is just an extension of his own dick-measuring contest. Pathetic.
