Rescue and Aid
At least 26 Latin American UN peacekeepers die in Haiti
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-20 19:27
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MEXICO CITY: Latin America has paid a heavy price in Haiti's earthquake, accounting for 26 of the 47 UN staff killed, for whom UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon led a ceremony on Tuesday.
The 26 Latin Americans included 19 Brazilians, one each from Argentina, Guatemala, Chile, Uruguay and Peru and two Haitians, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (Minustah) said Tuesday.
Brazil, which has been leading the mission, had 1,266 peacekeepers in Haiti before the earthquake, the Brazilian government said Monday, adding that it might double the staff to 2,600.
Uruguay had 1,163 people working in Haiti, among whom a lieutenant colonel was confirmed dead in last Tuesday's earthquake.
Argentina despatched 550 peacekeeping staff to Haiti, and beside the one found dead among debris in the quake-destroyed UN building, all were reported in good condition.
The 200 Peruvian soldiers in Haiti were also reported in good health.
The UN Security Council endorsed on Tuesday a proposal to send 3,500 more peacekeepers to Haiti to support "the immediate recovery, reconstruction and stability efforts," as the Haitian government raised the death toll to at least 75,000.
