In Haiti, armed men abducted the chief of staff of the Ministry of Defense Boyard

The Chief of Staff of the Haitian Ministry of Defense, James Boyard, was abducted by unidentified armed men in the capital, Port-au-Prince. This was reported on June 13 by the Associated Press (AP), citing a source.

"Armed men in Haiti have abducted James Boyard, the director of the Cabinet of the Minister of Defense and a highly respected security expert who is also the chief inspector of the Haitian police," the publication says.

According to AP, Boyard was captured on Thursday, June 11, in the Bourdon area of Port-au-Prince. This neighborhood is considered one of the few relatively safe in the Haitian capital. According to the agency, 70% of Port-au-Prince is controlled by a criminal alliance known as Viv Ansanm.

Details of the incident have not yet been disclosed. There was also no information about the possible demands of the kidnappers. According to AP, Boyard is considered one of the most prominent security experts in the country. He participated in the reconstruction of the Haitian Armed Forces and assessed the national police as part of the reform of the law enforcement system.

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On June 4, the head of the US Customs and Border Protection, Rodney Scott, announced the interception of a boat with 240 Haitian citizens trying to illegally enter the United States. According to the official, due to the number of people, water was being collected into the vessel, which increased its risk of going under water. The head of the US Customs and Border Protection Service said that such actions are dangerous and do not guarantee entry into the country.