Above: United Nations peacekeepers in Haiti (UN Photo/Marco Dormino)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Brazil native Lieutenant General Jose Luiz Jaborandy, Jr has been named the new force commander of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced Thursday.

Jaborandy, Jr succeeds fellow Brazilian Lieutenant General Edson Leal Pujol.

In a statement, Ban said Pujol’s “dedication, professionalism and leadership contributed greatly to United Nations stabilization efforts in Haiti.”

Jaborandy Jr, who has served in the Brazilian army since 1976, most recently served as commander of Brazil’s 8th Military Region; he has also served as Chief of Staff of the country’s Amazon Military Command.

In 1992, he served as a military observer with the United Nations Observer mission in El Salvador, following a similar stint in Central America the previous year.

The United Nations has had a peacekeeping presence in Haiti since 2004, with around 5,000 uniformed personnel, civilian personnel and UN volunteers.

Trinidad native Sandra Honore is the head of the MINUSTAH peacekeeping force.