Brazil and Latin American countries in the UNMIN (Haiti 2004-2019) leadership

This study is dedicated to the analysis of the regional role of Brazil and Latin American countries in leading the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) from 2004 to 2017. The paper examines the reasons for the active participation of regional states, the peculiarities of their foreign policy strategies, and the impact of this participation on the international peacekeeping system. Special attention is given to Brazil's role as a leading participant and commander of the military component of the mission—the first instance in which a Global South country fulfilled such a function in a large-scale UN operation. The research is based on the analysis of normative documents from the United Nations Security Council, official mission mandates, data on troop contributions, and numerous academic and analytical sources. Key stages of the mission's evolution, the impact of Brazil's participation on its development, and the consequences for regional and global security policy are identified. The first component of the methodological framework is a qualitative approach used in leading studies on the dynamics of UN peacekeeping operations, including the work of Terán (2019), where the peacekeeping mission is analyzed based on an in-depth study of primary and secondary data, including official UN documents, publications in academic journals, and international reports. In conclusion, this article argues that the participation of Brazil and Latin American countries in the MINUSTAH mission has become a significant phenomenon in international peacekeeping practice, characterized as both a unique regional initiative and an important contribution to the global conflict management system. MINUSTAH was established by the UN Security Council in 2004 through resolution No. 1542. Brazil's strategic participation represents an unprecedented case: a Global South country became a key strategic actor in a UN-led operation, which had previously been dominated by states with higher levels of economic and military power. More than 37,500 Brazilian military personnel were deployed in MINUSTAH in rotations from 2004 to 2017. Regional countries in Latin America, such as Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, also contributed to MINUSTAH.