Port Au Prince | Portal
The leader of an alliance of nine Haitian gangs, Jimmy Cherizier, known as “Barbecue”, said this Friday (1) that he would continue his attempts to overthrow Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Cherizier, who is also a former police officer, urged families not to let their children go to school to “avoid collateral damage.”
The statement by the leader of the G9, the name of the gang alliance, came in response to the Haitian prime minister's visit to Kenya this week. Haiti and the African country have signed an agreement to secure a plan to send 1,000 police officers to lead a United Nationsapproved mission to combat gang violence in the Caribbean country.
Henry's visit to Kenya led to an increase in violence in PortauPrince. According to the US Embassy in Haiti, there were intense shootings and traffic blockades in some areas of the country's capital. Four police officers died this Thursday in clashes with gangs (29), the national police union reported.
Amid the scenario of heightened violence, Haitians received news that the Prime Minister had committed to holding parliamentary elections by August 31, 2025. The information was also made public this Thursday through a statement from Caricom (Caribbean Community).
In it, Caricom states that “the continued deterioration of the political, humanitarian and security situation” in Haiti and “the continued delay in overcoming the political impasse” prevented free and fair elections. The Caribbean Community assured that, together with the United Nations, it would send a team to assess electoral needs in Haiti by the end of March.
Henry, who came to power after the assassination of the country's last president, Jovenel Moïse, in 2021, had already committed to resign in early February but later said security must be restored to ensure free and fair elections . In response to the prime minister's decision, a crowd protested on the streets of PortauPrince.
Since the assassination of former President Moïse, hundreds of gangs have expanded their territory and formed two main alliances. It is estimated that they now control most of the capital. Henry himself and Moïse's widow Martine are now also being investigated for the president's death.
In October 2022, the Haitian prime minister asked the international community for help in reinforcing the national police force, which was facing heavily armed gangs. Although the United Nations ratified the dispatch of reinforcements a year later, it did not specify the date or details of this assistance.
However, according to the Portal news agency, the US has pledged US$200 million (R$1 billion) in support for Haiti, Canada has pledged around US$60 million (R$300 million) and France has pledged almost US$4 million (R20 million). $). The UN spokesman said less than $11 million (R$55 million) had been paid into the fund created by the world body so far.
UN SecretaryGeneral António Guterres said he would push for more funding for the force as well as humanitarian aid. “It is imperative that we act quickly now,” he said, emphasizing that it is important “that things are not delayed and that no one is held back.”