SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — James Boyard, the cabinet director of Haiti's Defense Ministry and a respected security expert, has been kidnapped by armed men, according to a knowledgeable source. This incident marks Boyard as the highest-ranking official to be abducted in the gang-violated Caribbean nation within recent years.
The kidnapping, confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday, occurred on Thursday in Bourdon, a relatively safe area in Port-au-Prince. In contrast, approximately 70% of the capital is under the control of a powerful gang coalition known as Viv Ansanm, which the U.S. designated as a foreign terrorist organization in May of the previous year.
James Boyard, who also serves as the inspector general of Haiti's police and is a political scientist, has been instrumental in efforts to rebuild Haiti's armed forces while also assessing the National Police to facilitate reforms. As of now, the identity of his kidnappers and whether a ransom has been requested remains uncertain.
Diego Da Rin, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, remarked that a person of Boyard’s rank typically has significant security detail, suggesting that the abduction might have been meticulously planned and possibly facilitated by someone close to his security team. Da Rin noted that such kidnappings are increasingly occurring in areas of Port-au-Prince once deemed secure, where gang members sometimes wear police uniforms to stop vehicles under false pretexts.
Current trends show that gangs are increasingly targeting individuals with dual nationalities and public officials in their kidnapping endeavors, likely in pursuit of larger ransom payouts. This tactic may also serve as an attempt to dissuade authorities from launching attacks in certain territories controlled by these gangs, where kidnapped victims are often held.
Recent police operations have included assaults on Village de Dieu, dominated by the 5 Segond gang, led by Johnson Andre, infamously known as “Izo.” Notably, some kidnapping victims have been reported to be taken to locations within Village de Dieu.
High-profile kidnappings have notably changed the landscape of abductions in Haiti, affecting not just locals but also a range of individuals including Haitian journalists and international missionaries. According to a U.N. report, at least 267 individuals were reported kidnapped between December 2025 and February 2026, with the majority being men. The year 2025 saw a total of 1,268 reported kidnappings, reflecting a nearly 40% decrease compared to the 2,058 kidnappings reported in 2024.
This troubling situation illustrates the ongoing crisis of security in Haiti, where the influence of gangs continues to grow, undermining efforts for governance and stability.
