Haitian authorities report that law enforcement has initiated a major security sweep through impoverished neighborhoods under the control of influential criminal kingpin Jimmy Chérizier, commonly referred to as Barbecue by locals. Officials confirm multiple gang associates have been neutralized during confrontations within Port-au-Prince's Lower Delmas district. According to community sources, the tactical response includes armed unmanned aerial vehicles delivering explosive payloads throughout the targeted zone. Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé expressed strong support for the enforcement action, attributing these efforts to a specialized security unit established approximately 48 hours prior with the mandate to address rampant lawlessness.
At 47 years old, Chérizier commands tremendous fear as the head of Viv Ansam, which translates to Live Together, representing an alliance of criminal organizations dominating substantial portions of the urban landscape. Uncertainty remains regarding the participation of Kenyan law enforcement personnel, who arrived during previous months to assist with gang suppression efforts, in the current tactical operations. Criminal faction dominance throughout Port-au-Prince has resulted in near-total governmental authority dissolution, healthcare system failure, plus widespread nutritional insecurity among vulnerable populations.
Violence perpetrated by these criminal enterprises claimed over 5,500 lives across the Caribbean Republic in 2024, forcing more than one million residents to abandon their residences seeking relative safety elsewhere. The transitional presidential council established to restore democratic governance throughout Haiti has achieved minimal advancement toward implementing repeatedly postponed electoral processes necessary for legitimate leadership transition.
At 47 years old, Chérizier commands tremendous fear as the head of Viv Ansam, which translates to Live Together, representing an alliance of criminal organizations dominating substantial portions of the urban landscape. Uncertainty remains regarding the participation of Kenyan law enforcement personnel, who arrived during previous months to assist with gang suppression efforts, in the current tactical operations. Criminal faction dominance throughout Port-au-Prince has resulted in near-total governmental authority dissolution, healthcare system failure, plus widespread nutritional insecurity among vulnerable populations.
Violence perpetrated by these criminal enterprises claimed over 5,500 lives across the Caribbean Republic in 2024, forcing more than one million residents to abandon their residences seeking relative safety elsewhere. The transitional presidential council established to restore democratic governance throughout Haiti has achieved minimal advancement toward implementing repeatedly postponed electoral processes necessary for legitimate leadership transition.
