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U.S. Offers Full Support for El Salvador’s Haiti Rescue Operation, Reports Say
The United States has reportedly offered full support for El Salvador’s ongoing operation to locate four missing military aviation technicians in Haiti, according to a report by Faytuks Network citing The Wall Street Journal.
The reported offer comes as El Salvador has deployed approximately 100 special forces personnel to assist in the search, with additional troops expected to join the mission. The operation follows an October 18 ambush in Port-au-Prince, where armed gangs attacked an armored vehicle carrying members of the UN-backed Gang Suppression Force, after which four Salvadoran technicians went missing.
President Nayib Bukele has vowed to intensify the response if the missing personnel are not returned alive and unharmed. Salvadoran authorities have emphasized their determination to recover the technicians as Haiti continues to face severe insecurity driven by heavily armed criminal groups.
The reported U.S. support builds on previous cooperation, including the transfer of helicopters to assist with medical evacuations in Haiti. Such assistance highlights the role of international coordination in supporting security operations and responding to urgent humanitarian needs amid the country’s ongoing instability.
El Salvador’s participation in the multinational effort underscores its expanding role in the mission to address gang violence in Haiti, while the immediate priority remains locating the four missing personnel.
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El Salvador’s Grupo Campestre Launches $12.3M Poultry Expansion Project in San Miguel.
Avícola Campestre, a core division of El Salvador’s Grupo Campestre, officially broke ground on Friday for its new $12.3 million Vado Marín farm in San Miguel. Featuring 12 state-of-the-art technified barns, the high-capacity facility is engineered to yield 4.6 million broiler chickens annually—delivering 22.5 million pounds of top-tier poultry to meet rising regional demand while strengthening local food security.
The modern facility marks the first milestone in a broader $77.8 million strategic roadmap running through 2030, pre-qualified for tax incentives by El Salvador’s Investment and Export Promotion Agency (Invest). This ambitious seven-part blueprint encompasses an upgraded hatchery, a modernized processing plant, and a specialized breeding farm for fertile eggs. Beyond boosting capacity, the multi-project investment will generate 860 direct and indirect jobs, offering technical and specialized opportunities for agronomists, veterinarians, and commercial teams.
In addition to driving economic development, the project establishes a new benchmark for sustainable agribusiness in Central America. The Vado Marín farm will harness 7,300 tons of organic waste through an advanced biodigester system to produce 3,600 megawatt-hours of biogas energy. Combined with the company’s existing 2.5 MW solar setup, Grupo Campestre will achieve a clean energy capacity of 4 megawatts for its self-consumption needs.
Tracing its roots back to 1982—when founders Mario and Gloria de Romero launched a modest bakery with just $17.50—Grupo Campestre has transformed into an agro-industrial powerhouse behind the popular Pollo Campestre brand. “Our vision is to become a benchmark for agro-industrial innovation in Central America,” noted Sergio Romero, Director of Poultry and Energy. “It is not just about producing more, but producing better—with technology, energy efficiency, and responsible processes.”
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El Salvador Small Business Confidence Reaches Record Level in 2026, FUSAI Report Reveals.
Small business optimism in El Salvador has climbed to an all-time peak, driven by robust economic expansion and a safer operating environment. According to the MYPE 2026 State Report published by the FUSAI Foundation’s MYPE Observatory and Flacso, entrepreneurial confidence surged to 47.1 points, lifting the Business Confidence Index to a record 109.1. This landmark result marks the highest confidence level recorded across 25 quarters of tracking since mid-2020.
The record-setting confidence aligns with a surging Salvadoran economy, which posted a 4.8% GDP growth in the first quarter of 2026—more than doubling the 2.2% historical average seen over the past 17 years. Key growth drivers include steady increases in private investment alongside a dramatic drop in crime and extortion, which has drastically improved commercial mobility and reduced daily operational costs for entrepreneurs.
Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) form the backbone of the national economy, accounting for 99% of all businesses, nearly 49% of GDP, and over two-thirds of employment across 925,815 enterprise units. While optimism remains high across all sectors, small enterprises expressed the highest expectations (67.7 points), with commerce and service industries leading the surge.
Commenting on the landmark survey results, Rafael Pleitez, coordinator of the MYPE Observatory, noted that “micro and small enterprises have reached their record level in confidence since measurement began in 2020; they are eager to grow, but the ecosystem must be strengthened to turn this momentum into higher sales, employment, and investment.”
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ITCA-FEPADE Unveils $5.8M Center to Train El Salvador’s Next-Gen Tech Workforce.
In a major boost to El Salvador’s technological infrastructure, the ITCA-FEPADE institute inaugurated its new $5.8 million Industrial Innovation Training Center on Thursday. Built with backing from the South Korean government through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the modern facility is designed to equip local talent with high-demand skills in smart manufacturing, robotics, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
The project encompasses a state-of-the-art building equipped with advanced technological laboratories, modernized technical curricula, and specialized training for academic faculty. Technical and academic consulting was provided by South Korea’s Hanyang University, ensuring the certification of teaching staff and the selection of cutting-edge industrial equipment. “This strategic partnership bridges higher technical education with the evolving demands of Industry 4.0,” project representatives highlighted during the ceremony.
Operating under a dual-training model, the center combines practical classroom instruction with hands-on corporate internships. ITCA-FEPADE currently maintains alliances with more than 300 national enterprises, enabling active industrial workers to enroll in specialized diploma courses while young students gain direct access to real-world production lines.
By November 2026, the institution will graduate its very first cohorts in Smart Information Technology and Smart Manufacturing. This joint initiative reinforces El Salvador’s commitment to building a highly skilled workforce, fostering foreign direct investment, and positioning the nation as a emerging regional hub for technological innovation.
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COEXPORT and UN Women Launch Strategic Alliance to Empower Women in El Salvador’s Export Industry.
El Salvador’s Corporation of Exporters (Coexport) has signed a landmark memorandum of understanding with UN Women to advance gender equality as a core driver of international competitiveness. Building on the success of its Terminal Trucks initiative—which trained 200 local residents, 90% of whom were women, to operate heavy port machinery at Acajutla—the trade group is expanding inclusive hiring across the nation’s supply chains. The agreement also sets the groundwork for a specialized training academy designed to develop female technical, leadership, and entrepreneurial capabilities. As Coexport President Silvia Cuéllar emphasized, “Training opens the door, but what changes lives is employment. When gender-focused training aligns with industry needs, women break into spaces where they were rarely present before.”
In a parallel effort to modernize the workforce, Coexport has joined forces with NUMU Group under the CIBERLAMARR Project, an initiative co-funded by the European Union and BID Lab. This strategic partnership will train 1,000 young Salvadorans in high-demand digital skills, certifying 400 cybersecurity agents and 600 specialists in data governance and artificial intelligence. To tackle gender disparities in technology, at least 35% of the scholarshipsare reserved for women, with an ultimate goal of achieving gender parity across digital fields.
The collaboration connects local talent directly with the export market by offering internships, workplace integration events, and digital risk management workshops for enterprises. Coexport plans to facilitate formal job placement for at least 40% of program graduates, strengthening operational resilience for Salvadoran exporters navigating an increasingly digital global market. NUMU Group representative Gerardo Lara noted that “we are equipping young Salvadorans with critical tools in cybersecurity and AI while helping exporters manage the digital risks of online operations.”
By bridging social inclusion with digital transformation, El Salvador’s export leadership is fostering a more competitive,resilient economy. These combined alliances reinforce the nation’s position in global trade by cultivating a diverse, highly skilled workforce prepared for both industrial logistics and modern tech environments. “Expanding women’s participation across the value chain creates fresh opportunities for inclusive economic growth,” added UN Women representative Lourdes González Prieto.
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“God Will Grant Us Victory”: Bukele Defends El Salvador’s Haiti Operation Against Critics
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to its mission in Haiti, rejecting criticism that the operation could fail against heavily armed gangs that have challenged previous security efforts.
In a statement published on social media, Bukele argued that warnings about the difficulties of confronting Haitian criminal groups would not change his government’s resolve. He said critics who currently predict failure might later portray success as inevitable, adding that his administration would not be guided by those doubts.
“God will grant us victory,” Bukele declared, emphasizing the faith of the Salvadoran personnel involved in the mission. He also cited Deuteronomy 28:7, a biblical passage describing the defeat of one’s enemies, to underscore his confidence in the operation.
The president’s remarks come as El Salvador works to locate four military aviation technicians who went missing after an attack attributed to armed gangs in Haiti. The government has announced the deployment of special forces to assist in the search and rescue effort.
Bukele’s statement signals that El Salvador intends to continue its mission despite the security risks, as the operation unfolds amid Haiti’s ongoing struggle with gang violence.
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Bukele Frames El Salvador’s Haiti Mission as a Divine Fight Against “Satanic” Gangs
President Nayib Bukele has presented El Salvador’s operation in Haiti as a mission guided by religious faith, using biblical language to express confidence in efforts to recover four Salvadoran military personnel missing after a gang attack.
In his latest public statement, Bukele described the Salvadoran participants as believers who had entrusted their mission to God. He also referred to Haitian gangs as “satanic,” making a religious characterization of the armed groups as he defended his government’s decision to proceed despite warnings about the dangers involved.
The president rejected arguments that Haiti’s criminal organizations are too powerful to confront, saying his administration would not be deterred by predictions that the mission could end in failure. He reinforced his message by quoting Deuteronomy 28:7, a passage about overcoming adversaries.
El Salvador’s operation follows an attack in Croix-des-Bouquets in which four military aviation technicians reportedly went missing. Salvadoran authorities have deployed special forces to support efforts to locate and rescue them, while the security situation in the area remains volatile.
Bukele’s remarks combine a message of military determination with an explicit appeal to faith. His characterization of the gangs reflects his own rhetoric, while the immediate objective of the deployment remains the recovery of the missing Salvadoran personnel.
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El Salvador Deploys 100 Special Forces to Haiti as Nayib Bukele Orders Rescue of 4 Missing Soldiers After Gang Attack
El Salvador has deployed 100 special forces personnel to Haiti to support efforts to locate and rescue four Salvadoran military aviation technicians who went missing after a gang attack, according to officials cited by The Associated Press.
The deployment follows an announcement by President Nayib Bukele of a military operation to recover the missing personnel. Salvadoran authorities were also preparing to send an additional 100 soldiers to Haiti, while operating under the assumption that the four technicians remain alive.
Haitian authorities reported that the Salvadorans were abducted following an attack on Sunday in Croix-des-Bouquets. The technicians were traveling in an armored vehicle when armed gangs opened fire and reportedly used explosives. The incident prompted an ongoing security operation in the area, where intense fighting has led residents to be warned to remain indoors.
The attack represents a significant challenge for Haiti’s international security mission, which is working alongside Haitian police to counter heavily armed criminal groups. The joint response marks an important development in efforts to contain gang violence in areas under their control.
El Salvador’s deployment underscores the government’s commitment to recovering its personnel and responding to the attack. President Bukele has warned of a stronger response if the missing soldiers are not returned alive and unharmed.
The operation remains focused on locating the four Salvadorans as security forces continue their efforts in the affected area.
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Popeyes Continues El Salvador Expansion with Opening of New Drive-Thru Restaurant.
U.S. fast-food giant Popeyes is accelerating its Latin American growth with the opening of its third restaurant in El Salvador, located on the busy Bulevar de Los Héroes in San Salvador. Operating as a standalone, freestanding venue,the new branch features a full-service dining area and a convenient drive-thru, catering to the growing demand for quick,accessible dining options in the capital city.
The expansion reflects a rapid trajectory for the Louisiana-founded chain, which officially entered the Salvadoran market in December 2025 at Plaza Merliot before adding a second high-traffic spot at Metrocentro San Salvador in July 2026. Backed by parent company Restaurant Brands International (RBI)—a global powerhouse with over 4,000 restaurants worldwide—the brand continues to strengthen its international footprint by bringing its signature fried chicken, biscuits, and famous chicken sandwich to local consumers.
“This opening represents an important step in Popeyes’ growth in El Salvador and reaffirms our confidence in the potential of the Salvadoran market,” stated Gabriela Safie, General Manager of Popeyes El Salvador. The company has signaled plans to keep building out its local network in the short and medium term, with future locations expected to reach landmark areas such as San Salvador’s Historic Center.
Open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., the new restaurant establishes Popeyes as an increasingly prominent player in Central America’s evolving fast-food landscape. By combining modern drive-thru convenience with steady commercial investment, the franchise continues to solidify its presence across key urban corridors in El Salvador.
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El Salvador’s Invest Pre-Qualifies Leading Producer for $21.6M Dairy Facility Expansion.
El Salvador’s Investment and Export Promotion Agency (Invest) has pre-qualified local dairy producer Leche Salud for tax benefits under a new $21.6 million expansion program. This strategic move aims to strengthen the country’s manufacturing capacity while continuing to build momentum for private sector investments across the region.
The project is projected to create 75 new direct jobs and increase the company’s current output by 12%. Highlighting the impact of the approval, Invest President Rodrigo Ayala stated, “$21.6 million in investment, 75 new projected direct jobs, and a 12% increase in current productive capacity. More investment, more production, and more opportunities for El Salvador.”
This pre-qualification falls under El Salvador’s Investment Expansion Promotion Law, active since January 24, 2026,which grants tax incentives to businesses executing capital expansions worth at least $1 million. Within its first seven months, the regulatory framework has already cleared $503.8 million in new corporate expansions, driving the creation of 2,246 direct jobs nationwide.
Leche Salud joins a growing roster of major domestic and international brands expanding operations under the law.Leading industrial players across pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, and food processing—including Grupo Campestre ($82.8M), Galvanissa ($40M), Diana ($34M), Discovery Environmental Corp ($28.5M), and Ternova ($22.25M)—have also secured approvals to scale their operations in El Salvador.