Argentine Defense Minister Jose Juan Bautista Pampuro spent his Christmas Eve in the Haitian city of Gonaives, with troops of his country deployed in Haiti as part of the UN peace-keeping forces, local press said Saturday.

Pampuro arrived in the country Friday after a 12-hour flight, accompanied by Joint Chief of Staff Jorge Chevalier, Army Commander Roberto Bendini, Navy Commander Jorge Godoy and Air Force Commander Carlos Rohde.

The 500 Argentine soldiers deployed in Gonaives and Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince will be replaced by a new contingent.

Source: Xinhua