US Charges Haitian Gang Leader "Barbecue" in Connection with Violence and Terrorism

The US has filed criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier, a prominent Haitian gang leader accused of human rights abuses and soliciting illegal funding. The case highlights the escalating violence and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

US federal prosecutors have unveiled serious criminal charges against Jimmy Cherizier, infamously known as "Barbecue," the leader of the Viv Ansanm gang alliance that dominates much of Port-au-Prince. The indictment claims that Cherizier, alongside US citizen Bazile Richardson, 48, solicited financial support from the Haitian diaspora in the US aimed at funding gang activities and acquiring firearms, breaching US sanctions.

A former police officer operating from Haiti, Cherizier currently remains at large. The US government has offered a reward of $5 million (£3.7 million) for information leading to his capture. He has been linked to numerous violent acts, including murders, kidnappings, and assaults on essential infrastructure. “There’s a good reason that there’s a $5m reward for information leading to Cherizier’s arrest,” US Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated. “He’s a gang leader responsible for heinous human rights abuses, including violence against American citizens in Haiti.”

Cherizier allegedly played a pivotal role in the 2018 La Saline massacre, a horrific event that left 71 individuals dead, 400 homes destroyed, and led to the sexual assault of at least seven women. Richardson, who was taken into custody in Texas last month, is a naturalized US citizen originally from Haiti, and prosecutors claim he was instrumental in raising funds to support gang operations and acquire weapons.

Assistant US Attorney General John Eisenberg remarked that both men were essential in "bankrolling Cherizier's violent criminal enterprise, which is driving a security crisis in Haiti." He affirmed the US's commitment to targeting those who perpetuate Haiti's instability and violence.

In May, the US designated Viv Ansanm as a foreign terrorist organization, recognizing its control over much of the Haitian capital since 2020. The gang had attempted to rebrand itself as a political party earlier this year. Global sanctions from the US, UN, Canada, and the UK accuse Cherizier of instigating violence across Haiti, where he holds significant power, shielded by gang members.

Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, the poorest nation in the Americas has witnessed widespread economic turmoil, political disarray, and rampant gang violence. This rampant crime has nearly obliterated law and order, resulting in the collapse of healthcare services and an alarming food security crisis.

In recent developments, UN-backed security forces led by Kenya have struggled to regain control of Port-au-Prince amidst a deepening humanitarian disaster. Current estimates from the UN indicate that over 5.7 million Haitians, exceeding half the population, are grappling with severe food insecurity, and more than a million people are internally displaced within the nation.