(Reuters) – Deadly violence between armed groups and law enforcement escalated in Haiti this week, with gang leader Jimmy Cherizier calling for the overthrow of the unelected government that is largely absent.
Known as “Barbeque,” the 46-year-old Cherizier was previously a member of the Haitian National Police force. He is accused by the United Nations of participating in several massacres, including an incident in 2018 where more than 70 people were killed and over 400 homes were burned in the La Saline neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.
Originally from the Delmas area of the capital, Cherizier has been seen publicly wearing a beret and camouflage, holding a gun. In 2020, he established a gang alliance called G9 Family and Allies, which united nine gangs from the capital.
After the assassination of then-President Jovenel Moise in 2021, Cherizier called for protests and accused opposition leaders and police of being involved in the murder. U.S. authorities have alleged a conspiracy to replace Moise with a pastor from Florida, while a judge in Haiti has implicated Moise’s widow.
Following Moise’s assassination, the security situation in Haiti worsened, and Cherizier’s G9 alliance gained notoriety for seizing control of the country’s main fuel port, causing transport disruptions and power shortages at hospitals.
While G9 lifted the blockade over a month later, Prime Minister Ariel Henry sought international backing for a “rapid” U.N.-supported mission to combat the increasing influence of around 200 gangs in the capital.
Although the U.N. approved the mission a year later, many countries have been hesitant to provide assistance due to concerns about Henry’s unelected status and the contentious history of international involvement in Haiti.
Meanwhile, in Port-au-Prince, gangs were aligning with G9 and another coalition called G-Pep, which analysts believe has connections to Haitian opposition parties.
Despite reports of a truce between G9 and G-Pep in July, clashes persisted among the gangs, as well as with police and vigilante groups established due to the absence of state protection, leading to mass displacement.
The UN has documented widespread violence by gang members, including indiscriminate killings, rape, torture, kidnappings, and arson, further escalating the humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
The conflict has spread beyond the capital, affecting the agricultural region of Artibonite and causing food shortages as merchants and aid organizations struggle to deliver supplies to those in need.
Research organizations have cautioned that Haitian gangs are becoming financially self-sufficient, acquiring large quantities of weapons mainly from the U.S. and operating various services such as schools, clinics, and checkpoints, while their leaders live in luxury.
Cherizier is among five gang leaders sanctioned by the U.N. and the U.S., but the impact of these sanctions remains unclear.
Gangs now control a significant portion of the capital, prompting Henry to secure a deal with Kenya for them to lead the proposed U.N.-supported force. However, details regarding the scale, funding, and deployment date of the force have not been released by the U.N. yet.
(Reporting by Sarah Morland and Harold Isaac, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
