 | |
 Haiti |  Mexico |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of Haiti in Mexico | Embassy of Mexico in Haiti |
| Envoy | |
| Ambassador Hubert Labbé | Chargé d'Affaires Jesús Cisneros |
The nations ofHaiti andMexico established consular relations in 1882 and formal diplomatic relations were established in 1929.[1] Both nations are members ofAssociation of Caribbean States,Community of Latin American and Caribbean States,Organization of American States and theUnited Nations.
Haiti was the firstLatin-American nation to gain independence in 1804 fromFrance. This result inspired several nations in the region in their struggle for independence. In 1816, Mexican GeneralMartín Javier Mina y Larrea traveled to Haiti to gain support for Mexico's independence fromSpain.[2] Consular relations between Haiti and Mexico were established in 1882 with formal diplomatic relations being established on 11 July 1929.[1][3] In 1934, a Mexican diplomatic office was opened inPort-au-Prince and in 1943 the diplomatic office was elevated to an embassy. That same year, Haiti opened an embassy inMexico City.[1]
Between the years 1957–1986, Haiti was ruled by PresidentFrançois Duvalier and later by his son,Jean-Claude Duvalier. During this time period, several high level Haitian politicians, students and activists sought refuge in the Mexican embassy in the capital including former politician and author,Gérard Pierre-Charles who spent 26 years living in Mexico.[4] In February 1991, PresidentJean-Bertrand Aristide came to power. He was later toppled in acoup d'état in September 1991 and forced to flee the country. That same month, Aristide's Prime MinisterRené Préval sought refuge in the Mexican embassy where he remained for eleven months until being granted safe-conduct and fled to Mexico. René Préval would later become President of Haiti in February 1996 – 2001 and again in 2006 – 2011.[1]
In January 2010,Haiti experienced a 7.0 earthquake. Like several countries, Mexico responded by providing food and other essential emergency aid. Soon following the earthquake, over 1,300 Mexican medical workers arrived to Haiti along with 15,000 tons of humanitarian aid and over 51 thousand tents to provide temporary shelter.[5] Mexican soldiers also partook in search and rescue. Since 2010, the Mexican government has given over US$8 million in financial assistance to the Haitian government and people.[6]
In 2012, PresidentFelipe Calderón became the first Mexican head-of-state to visit Haiti. While in Haiti, President Calderon met with Haitian PresidentMichel Martelly and they discussed bilateral relations between both nations and Mexico's development aid to the country.[2] In April 2013, Mexican PresidentEnrique Peña Nieto paid a visit to Haiti.[7] In 2015, Mexico contributed military personnel to theUnited Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti.[2]
In 2016, approximately 5,000 Haitian nationals, while in Mexico; were denied entry into theUnited States when PresidentBarack Obama ended allowing Haitians into the country on humanitarian grounds. Many of the Haitians remained in Mexico, primarily in the border cities ofMexicali andTijuana.[8]
As part of an effort to increase humanitarian assistance and help with the recuperation of Haiti, Mexico provides government scholarships to 300 Haitian students to study at Mexican universities per year.[9] In November 2021 Haiti opened a consulate in the southern Mexican city ofTapachula,Chiapas to best attend to the surge of Haitian migrants entering Mexico.[10][11] That same year, over 51,000 Haitians applied for asylum in Mexico.[12]
In October 2023, Haitian Prime MinisterAriel Henry paid a visit toPalenque, Chiapas to attend a Summit on Migration, hosted by Mexican PresidentAndrés Manuel López Obrador.[13]
After former defense minister Hervé Denis' attendance to the CDMA in Mexico in 2018,[14] a Mexican delegation headed by Brigadier General Porfilio Fuentes travelled to Haiti to meet the Haitian armed forces high command, where they held a two-day workshop on the strategies of military cooperation and support to the ministry.[15] As part of the bilateral cooperation accord betweenMexico and Haiti, signed on 7 October 2018,[16] 50Non-commissioned officer of the Armed Forces of Haiti get a formation at the "Escuela Militar de Sargentos"[17] of theMexican Army, inPuebla, Mexico.[18][19][20]
On 16 August 2019, the first class of servicemembers formed in Haiti, composed of 248 soldiers, 50 NCOs, and 15 officers, would graduate from the recruiting depot at theAnacaona Military Training Center, inLéogâne.[21][22] That class was trained by Mexican military instructors, led by Colonel Léon Borja. The 15 officers would then travel to Mexico for further training at theTemamatla military mase.[23][24]
In 2022, 29 NCOs would get trained at the "Centro de Adiestramiento de Fuerzas Especiales" inTemamatla, Mexico to becomedrill instructors in order to facilitate the formation of new soldiers on Haitian soil.[25][26] Another company of 150 soldiers would go to Mexico to get a formation by the Mexican Army andMexican National Guard, in subjects includingdrone warfare,guerilla warfare,sniper training,demolition. That company upon their return to Haiti would become the National Guard Unit (Unité de Garde Nationale)[27] that was trained.[28][29][30][31] 30 soldiers in 2022, and 100 in 2023, travelled to Mexico forspecial operations training with theCuerpo de Fuerzas Especiales, becoming the firstSpecial forces unit of the newFAd'H.[32][33][34][35]
On December 5, 2024, a meeting between the newly appointed defense minister Jean Michel Moise, and the chargé d'affaires of Mexico in Haiti, Jesus Cisneros, reaffirmed existing military cooperation between both countries. They announced that this cooperation will continue and expand going into 2025, with assistance to the FAD'H to build training facilities on the newly established "Vertières" base, which will also serve as a basic training camp. Talks were also held over building awarrant officer program with aims to professionalize and modernize the armed forces.[36] In an interview withLe Nouvelliste, Mr. Cisneros states that Mexico hopes to provide specialized training to more than 100 Haitian servicemen during 2025, one of those subjects being pilot training. He also announced that a project of non-lethal military aid to the Haitian military was on the way.[37]
Due to delays in the construction project of the Basic Training Center at the Vertières military base, Minister Moise announced that Mexico via the Mexican Army would be welcoming and providing training for 700 recruits, in groups of 150.[38] On July 24, 2025, the first group of 150 recruits departed to Mexico[39] for 3-months long training course aboardMexican Air ForceEADS CASA C-295 planes, who brought 1000 personal protection kits to the Haitian military, courtesy of theAMEXCID.[40] Since 2018, Mexico has contributed to the training on 912 Haitian servicemen.
High-level visits from Haiti to Mexico[1]
High-level visits from Mexico to Haiti[2][7][43]
Both nations have signed a few bilateral agreement such as an Agreement for mutual non-fee visa issuance (1942) and an Agreement on Technical and Scientific Cooperation (2003).[46]
In 2023, total trade between the two nations amounted to US$80 million.[47][48] Haiti's main exports to Mexico include: textiles and clothing. Mexico's main exports to Haiti include: food, bottled water, motor vehicles, medicine andelectric accumulators.[47] Mexican multinational companyCemex operates in Haiti.[49]
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| See also | ||
