The gang coalition that forced a Haitian Prime Minister's resignation
In short: In September 2023, two of Haiti’s most powerful rival gangs joined forces to create Viv Ansanm. This alliance transformed fragmented street violence into a coordinated campaign against the state, successfully seizing critical infrastructure and forcing the resignation of the country's top leadership.
G-9 and G-Pèp, two prominent Port-au-Prince gang groups, joined forces to create Viv Ansanm (French for 'Live Together'). While the initial union faltered in late 2023, it was revived in early 2024 by former police officer Jimmy Chérizier, also known as 'Barbecue.' The coalition serves as a unified platform for criminal groups to destabilize Haiti and quash efforts to restore state control. By uniting, these gangs have been able to launch coordinated attacks on government buildings, prisons, and the country's main airport.
The group’s influence is vast; it reportedly controls around 80% of the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area and has expanded into the Ouest, Centre, and Artibonite regions. A key milestone occurred in March 2024 when Viv Ansanm seized Toussaint Louverture International Airport. This move was specifically designed to prevent Prime Minister Ariel Henry from returning to Haiti, successfully forcing his resignation later that month. The coalition also aims to oppose the UN-authorized Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which it views as a tool of foreign interests.
The U.S. government has responded with severe designations. On May 2, 2025, the State Department designated Viv Ansanm and the Gran Grif gang as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs). The Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) also sanctioned key facilitators like Dimitri Herard—a former police officer linked to the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse—and Kempes Sanon, leader of the Bel Air gang. These sanctions block their assets and prohibit U.S. persons from providing any material support, aiming to isolate the coalition from the global financial system.
The violence associated with these groups is severe. For instance, the Gran Grif gang has been responsible for an estimated 80% of civilian death reports in the Artibonite department since 2022. By designating these entities as terrorists, the U.S. seeks to move beyond mere punishment toward a 'positive change in behavior' by denying them the resources necessary to sustain their campaign of extortion, kidnappings, and indiscriminate killings.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Treasury Sanctions Terrorist Viv Ansanm Affiliates | U.S. Department of the Treasury
- Also: Designation of Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif - United States Department of State
- Also: Viv Ansanm
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