Rep. Castro Challenges Pentagon Ties to Erik Prince’s Haiti Operations

During a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing Tuesday, Castro pressed State and Defense department officials regarding the Pentagon's intent to integrate the contractor into the United Nations-backed Gang Suppression Force. Vectus Global, founded by the former Blackwater CEO in 2025, has become a focal point of concern following a Human Rights Watch report documenting widespread civilian casualties. Between March 2025 and January 2026, drone attacks in Haiti claimed the lives of 43 adults and 17 children unaffiliated with criminal organizations.

The human cost of these operations was highlighted by the September 20 incident in Port-au-Prince, where a kamikaze drone strike on a recreational complex killed nine children. Despite such reports, officials maintained that the firm’s efforts against gangs have been a success, claiming operations have become increasingly precise. Castro dismissed this defense, citing UN data showing that during the first quarter of 2026, nearly a quarter of all casualties from security-force operations were civilians. Because Vectus operates as a foreign contractor, the State Department noted that US personnel involved face no mandatory activity disclosure or federal oversight, leaving the company’s combat actions largely unmonitored.