Haiti’s most powerful gang leader, Jimmy ‘Barbecue’, calls for armed overthrow of the prime minister after taking control of most of the capital.
By Naomisophyblog
In Haiti, the formidable gang leader, Jimmy ‘Barbecue’ Cherizier, has rallied for the overthrow of the nation’s prime minister while leading a procession through Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, September 19.
Mr. Cherizier, who heads the ‘G9 Family and Allies’ coalition of gangs, urged Haitians to mobilize against Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Accompanied by armed gang members, he traversed the city’s streets, where his supporters obstructed roads and played drums.
“We are initiating a struggle to dismantle Ariel Henry’s government by any means necessary,” declared Mr. Cherizier, pledging daily protests in various parts of Port-au-Prince. “Our battle will involve weaponry,” he asserted.
Mr. Henry has governed on an interim basis, vowing to hold elections once stability is restored in Haiti.
Since the assassination of President Jovenal Moise in July 2021, gangs have exploited the political turmoil to gain control of much of the capital.
Mr. Cherizier, a former police officer, became the inaugural individual sanctioned by the United Nations in 2022 under a new sanctions regime targeting those who pose threats to Haiti’s police, security, or stability. He faces allegations of crimes against civilians, including a massacre in the Port-au-Prince neighborhood of La Saline in 2018.
On Tuesday, Mr. Cherizier issued a stern warning to the international community. “The international community cannot continue to intervene in Haiti,” he declared. “If the international community played no role in [Jovenal Moise’s] demise, they should not endorse Ariel Henry.”
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Estimates by the International Crisis Group indicate that over 200 gangs are active in Haiti. The United Nations approximates that at least 1.5 million, or half of Port-au-Prince’s population, has been affected by gang-related violence.
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