Haiti Report, May 9, 2025
A compilation of news about Haiti from the past week.
Trump Labels Haiti’s Powerful Gangs as Terrorists
A powerful alliance of armed gangs that has plunged Haiti into violence and launched attacks against state institutions was designated on Friday as a terrorist group by the Trump administration. The move is likely to worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis in Haiti, experts said, since gangs control much of the country’s economy and infrastructure, including ports and major roads, and extort businesses and the local population. President Trump’s designation gives the U.S. broad power to impose economic penalties on the criminal groups, and potentially even to take military action. But it also allows sanctions to be imposed on anyone the United States accuses of having dealings with the gangs. “The age of impunity for those supporting violence in Haiti is over,’’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a social media post. Depending on how it is enforced, the declaration could end nearly all trade with Haiti, some experts say, since virtually no goods can move in or out of the capital, Port-au-Prince, without the payment of fees to the gangs, which control much of the city.
The coalition of gangs, called Viv Ansanm — “Living Together” in Haitian Creole — formed in 2023 and pledged to protect civilians, but then immediately launched attacks. Some gangs, which under Mr. Trump’s designation are now considered transnational terrorist organizations, have spread beyond Haiti, establishing gun smuggling ties to Florida and the Dominican Republic. The terrorist declaration also targeted the Gran Grif gang, whose stronghold is in the Artibonite department, a key agricultural region north of the capital that is considered Haiti’s bread basket. The gang is accused of perpetrating a horrific massacre last year that left more than 100 people dead. Haitian private sector businesses, including port operators, bus company owners and cellphone providers are all obligated to pay fees to gangs, experts say. That could potentially expose them up to U.S. sanctions. Many charities and relief agencies also must work with gangs who have seized the neighborhoods where they operate. “What about a church or N.G.O. that feeds a 13-year-old child who is gang affiliated?” said Brian A. Nichols, who served in the Biden administration as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere. “I’m loath to criticize any effort to help Haiti, but this designation is unlikely to harm the gangs. It is more likely to cause ancillary damage.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/02/world/americas/trump-haiti-gangs-terrorists.html
Protesters in Haiti demand new government and more security as anger over gangs spreads
Dozens of protesters marched up the hills of Haiti’s capital on Sunday demanding an end to persistent gang violence as they called on the country’s prime minister and transitional presidential council to resign. It’s the latest protest to reflect growing anger and frustration over a surge in violence as gangs try to seize full control of Port-au-Prince. “The only thing the Haitian people are asking for is security,” said Eric Jean, a 42-year-old bus driver with a large Haitian flag tied around his neck. “We’re losing more neighborhoods, more people are dying, more people are fleeing their homes.”
Also joining the protest was Marc Étienne, who blamed gangs for raiding his small business and leaving him homeless. The 39-year-old now lives in a squalid, makeshift camp like tens of thousands of others forced to flee their homes after gangs razed their communities. Sunday’s demonstration comes a day after hundreds of people gathered in Port-au-Prince to honor several community leaders killed in recent clashes with gangs. “Freedom or death!” the mourners shouted on Saturday as the leaders of the Canapé-Vert neighborhood entered a small stadium where the memorial was held. Videos posted on social media showed the leaders carrying automatic weapons and wearing black T-shirts emblazoned with pictures of those killed. Many wore balaclavas to cover their faces and protect themselves from possible retaliation by gangs. Canapé-Vert is one of the few neighborhoods that has yet to fall to gangs that control at least 85% of the capital. It also is known for having one of Port-au-Prince’s most powerful neighborhood organizations, led in part by frustrated police officers.
In early April, Canapé-Vert leaders organized a large protest that became violent as they, too, demanded that Haiti’s prime minister and its transitional presidential council resign. Gunmen in recent months have targeted once peaceful neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince that would give them easy access to Pétion-Ville, a residential area where banks, embassies and other institutions are located. In a February attack on Delmas 30, gunmen “indiscriminately fired on the population in the neighborhood, killing 21 men and injuring eight others,” according to the U.N. report. In a separate attack on a nearby neighborhood where the French embassy is located, at least 30 people were killed, many of whom were traveling in small colorful buses known as tap taps, according to the report. Other victims include at least 15 people who were family members of police officers. https://apnews.com/article/haiti-protest-gangs-66b8ce614cfc83f566fd3f8122d90b0d?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=share
Fire set at AutoMeca
The Automeca company, a car dealership that has been operating for over 50 years in Port-au-Prince, had its premises burned down during the night of May 7-8, 2025. According to local residents, they had been trying to contact the fire department and police since midnight in vain. As of 8 a.m. Thursday, neither the fire department nor the police had arrived on the scene. Automeca is a major vehicle dealership and sells Isuzu, Subaru, and Volvo brands, as well as generators. According to circulating videos, the huge premises were devastated, with both the vehicle inventory and the premises destroyed in the massive fire. Located on Airport Road, Automeca is adjacent to other dealerships in the area. https://lenouvelliste.com/article/255957/le-local-de-la-compagnie-automeca-incendie
Public Funds, Private Guards: Haiti’s Misused Police Force
The Haitian police force is understaffed in the fight against gangs, yet hundreds of officers are assigned to protect influential individuals. When “Prophet” Markinson Dorilas arrived at the Karibe Hotel on the morning of April 5, 2025, to take part in a broadcast, he was accompanied by a soldier in uniform from the Haitian army carrying a military-grade weapon. Questioned on-site by AyiboPost, Dorilas revealed that his extensive security team included four police officers, one army soldier, and a personal bodyguard.
This case represents just the tip of the iceberg: hundreds of police officers and soldiers are — officially or unofficially — assigned to protect businesspeople, government affiliates, former state officials, or even private companies. This practice forces the Haitian state to cover the monthly security costs of influential individuals, even as the National Police (PNH) and the army lack sufficient personnel to protect the general public from gang violence. “The indiscipline and chaos that characterize the police force’s management prevent authorities from putting an end to this practice, which weakens the PNH and limits the deployment of available officers to fight insecurity,” says attorney Samuel Madistin, chairman of the board at Fondasyon Je Klere, to AyiboPost.
In practice, however, former ministers, ex-civil servants, and even political figures with no official roles appear to benefit from permanent police escorts funded by public money. For instance, on April 21, AyiboPost observed two armed officers — carrying assault rifles and wearing police caps — stationed at the private clinic of former Prime Minister Jack Guy Lafontant on Ruelle Berne, more than six years after he left office. Yet “most of these officers are assigned to protect individuals or are engaged in private activities, which prevents them from actively participating in the fight against insecurity,” says Garry Jean Baptiste, union leader with SPNH-17, to AyiboPost. “No unit escapes this disorder,” adds the officer with 21 years of experience, noting that “more than 20 elite SWAT officers are on detached duty, along with 10 to 15 members of the Departmental Operations and Intervention Brigade (BOID).” https://ayibopost.com/public-funds-private-guards-haitis-misused-police-force/
Haiti to hit pause on rebooting of a commission to disarm violent gangs
A rebooted effort in Haiti to disarm the country’s criminal gangs and reintegrate child soldiers into society is getting put on hold. The government of the volatile country, whose armed gangs have been deemed by the Trump administration to be a global menace, is temporarily dissolving a disarmament commission after concerns were raised over the credibility of one of its newest appointees. The decision was confirmed to the Miami Herald by the head of the Transitional Presidential Council, Fritz Alphonse Jean, on Friday, hours after the Trump administration designated several Haitian gangs as foreign and global terrorists and after the National Human Rights Defense Network blasted a decision to expand the National Commission for Disarmament, Dismantling and Reinsertion by bringing on board its former commissioner. The purpose of the commission is to help reintegrate the young people and children. who are increasingly being recruited by armed groups and to facilitate the disarmament of armed groups. “The presidential council took a resolution to dissolve the [commission] in the next minister council meeting until more additional consultations with civil society organizations and personalities in the public and private sectors,” Jean said.
On Wednesday, Jean and his fellow council members appointed Jean Rebel Dorcénat, the former head of the commission and another individual to the group to bring the total membership to nine after seven others were appointed in February. The moves, Jean, said were made “in good faith.” However, the head of the National Human Rights Defense Network, Pierre Esperance, accused the council of “compensating” Dorcénat for his alleged ties to gangs and called on the council to reverse course. Dorcénat previously served as head of the commission after it was reactivated by Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Formed by executive order in 2006, its task is to disarm and dismantle gangs, a job that brings its members into contact with armed groups and their leaders. However, Dorcénat has long faced criticisms and accusations of being sympathetic to gang leaders based on radio nterviews he has given on the radio, and the access he has been alleged to have.
Insecurity Shuts Down More Than 700 Schools in West department
Following an investigation conducted between February and April 2025, the Union of Progressive Parents of Haiti (UPEPH) has painted a bleak picture of the state of schools, vocational training centers, and universities, which have been severely impacted by widespread insecurity. According to the published report, several hundred classical and vocational schools, as well as several dozen universities, have been forced to suspend their activities due to gang violence, leaving tens of thousands of students on their own, facing only uncertainty.
This report highlights the alarming extent of the consequences of insecurity on the academic training of young people. The continuous closure of educational institutions, particularly in Port-au-Prince and its surroundings, is seriously compromising access to education, especially for young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. Conducted between March and April 2025, the document lists nearly 700 schools, vocational centers, and universities in the West department that were unable to operate during the 2024-2025 academic year. The State University of Haiti (UEH) is in a particularly critical situation. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/255976/insecurity-shuts-down-more-than-700-schools-in-haitis-western-region
Lawmakers question healthcare at facility where Haitian woman died
The death of a Haitian woman who died while in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody has sparked a larger conversation about the conditions and healthcare provided to detainees in ICE custody. According to immigration officials, Marie-Ange Blaise, 44, died on Friday, April 25 at the Broward Transitional Center in Pompano Beach, weeks after initially being detained in February. In a statement, the agency claims U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) located her on Feb. 12 at the international airport in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, attempting to board a flight to Charlotte, North Carolina. ICE says Blaise entered the U.S. without admission or parole "on an unknown date and place.” She was moved through various facilities before ending up in South Florida.
Earlier this week, Congresswomen Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Frederica Wilson called for a tour of the facility where Blaise died. On Thursday, they followed through with their demands, pressing for answers about the conditions that led to her death. During their visit, the lawmakers questioned the medical care given to Blaise, after detainees told the congresswomen she complained of chest pain multiple times. They were particularly concerned that she did not receive an EKG or medical attention at a hospital, considering her ongoing symptoms. “They’re telling us that they followed protocol, but they are refusing to tell us what the protocol was,” Cherfilus-McCormick said. “Where is the transparency? We can’t stand for this, and now we are demanding an external investigation.”
Cherfilus-McCormick also claimed that their visit was met with resistance from the medical coordinator and voiced concerns about staffing issues at the facility that she said is housing at least 500 detainees. While ICE has stated that it is investigating Blaise’s death, there are no clear answers yet. The lawmakers believe the situation may be part of a deeper issue with healthcare at the facility and expressed concerns that other detainees could face the same fate as Blaise. Wilson pointed to the private company “GEO Group,” which currently operates the Broward Transitional Center, as a key factor in the ongoing concerns. Both congresswomen are now calling for a full investigation into Blaise’s death and more Congressional oversight of medical care at ICE detention centers across the country.
UNICEF IDP Response: Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau
Following attacks and armed group take-over of the towns of Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau in Centre Department, the situation remains tense. To date, 51,000 people – including 27,000 children – remain displaced as per IOM, including more than 12,500 people (24 per cent) stranded across 95 spontaneous sites across the Centre Department. In support of the government, UNICEF has deployed a multisectoral team to Hinche with missions to Boucan-Carré – where a large concentration of IDPs have been registered – to support coordination, conduct needs assessments and initiate the response. From 23-25 April, the UNICEF team participated in the OCHA-led multisectoral rapid needs assessment and pushed on efforts to strengthen subnational coordination.
During the reporting period, the Centre Department, particularly the communes of Mirebalais and Saut d’Eau, remained heavily affected by the armed group take-over that occurred on 31 March 2025. To date, 51,000 people – including 27,000 children – remain displaced as per IOM. Over 12,500 people (24 per cent) are stranded in 95 spontaneous sites across the Centre Department. Furthermore, the clashes resulted in the deaths of several residents, the destruction of the police station, and the looting of numerous businesses. To date, the armed groups remain active in these communes and continue to exert their influence.
According to the authorities, an operation carried out in Mirebalais by law enforcement forces on 25 April 2025 aimed at regaining control of the communes of Saut d'Eau and Mirebalais. During the operation, eight armed individuals were reportedly killed, and three firearms were seized. However, despite this operation, it appears that the commune remains under the control of armed groups. Furthermore, on 25 April, members of the Viv Ansanm group, based in Mirebalais, attempted to invade the Devarrieux area, located near the commune of Lascahobas. This attack led to clashes between Protected Areas Surveillance Brigade (BSAP) agents and the armed groups. Consequently, while authorities are prohibiting humanitarian movements on sections of the road connecting Hinche to Mirebalais, Lascahobas, and Belladère, movements from Hinche to Cange-Boucan-Carré have been authorized.
On 22-25 April, an OCHA-led multisectoral rapid assessment mission took place in the Centre Department in Hinche and Boucan-Carré. The focus group discussions were conducted in internally displace persons (IDP) sites of Hinche and Boucan-Carré and in host communities of Hinche. Initial findings noted several gaps in operational presence and coordination, along with some inequities in the access to humanitarian assistance, notably for the municipality of Boucan-Carré which hosts a high concentration of IDPs. For those in host communities, it was noted that some families are providing shelter and sharing their limited resources and food with up to 30 persons, including children. In addition, municipalities affected by the IDP influx on the Lascahobas-Belladere (at the border with Dominican Republic) axes, have been found to be enclaved by the violence and armed group take-over, with no humanitarian assistance at all.
Resources at the remaining functional hospitals remain critically overstretched. Specifically, the number of births recorded at the Boucan-Carré hospital (St. Michel) more than doubled in April, rising from 13 to 32. While displaced families have access to several of the remaining operational hospitals, capacities are limited, especially in terms of qualified staffing and equipment. During focus group discussions with IDP children, many expressed fear stemming both from their experience of displacement and from the unsafe conditions at the site, particularly the lack of lighting at night. Some children reported witnessing the recruitment of friends by armed groups, fuelling concern for their own safety. All participants conveyed a strong desire to return to school as soon as possible. Field observations also indicate that parents are eager to enrol their children in UNICEF-supported activities and to facilitate their return to formal education.
Mirebalais residents concerned after gangs take over Panic FM
After setting fire to several radio and television stations in Port-au-Prince, gangs took control of Panic FM radio in Mirebalais, where they have been broadcasting music and programs promoting their criminal acts for nearly a week. Rodnel Romelus was forced to flee Mirebalais in March 2025 with his family following gang attacks launched in March 2025 that forced more than 50,000 people to flee their homes in the central department. Contacted by AyiboPost, the young man confided that the music and messages from the gangs, broadcast since the station was taken over, only aggravate the trauma he and his family experienced. Dodythe Saintilus, a young student from Mirebalais, who also fled gang violence, is concerned about "the negative influence that this content can have on young people in remote areas." Gangs were already using social media to spread their videos and messages and to recruit new members.
But for Gotson Pierre, journalist and editor of the online agency Alterpresse, the radio station's takeover demonstrates "the ultimate level of their attacks, given the strong symbolism attached to such an institution." In two recordings shared with AyiboPost by a station manager, music can be heard playing and a male voice introducing himself as "Zo level" on the microphone praising gang leader Jeff Canaan and urging Mirebalais residents to return home. The station, which was founded in 2006, has suspended its internet broadcasting, but it has continued to broadcast intermittently on the 97.5 FM frequency since taking control on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. "It's very worrying," a station manager who had to flee the area told AyiboPost. Read more: https://ayibopost.com/panic-fm-une-radio-de-mirebalais-est-desormais-sous-le-controle-total-des-gangs/
Five dead and one injured during a police operation in Cap-Haïtien
Five suspected members of a local gang were killed this Saturday, May 3, 2025, in Cap-Haïtien in an exchange of fire with the police, while an officer of the Departmental Service of the Judicial Police (SDPJ) was injured. The police seized three firearms, including one homemade, as well as several cartridges. This assessment is the result of a police operation carried out early on Saturday, May 3, 2025, in the "Nan Zonbi" neighborhood, at the southern entrance to the city of Cap-Haïtien, an area known to be difficult to access by vehicles.
These alleged criminals are believed to be under the command of a gang leader named Koulou. Among the alleged gangsters killed are Dessalines, identified as the gang's second leader, as well as Tchaly, Pétion, Bicha, and Kòvè. According to Divisional Inspector Arol Jean, spokesperson for the Northern police, this group of criminals specializes in illegal land appropriation, kidnappings, assassinations, and criminal conspiracy. It should be noted that the police had already carried out several operations in this area, according to Divisional Inspector Arol Jean, spokesperson for the Northern police.
Inspector Arol Jean reiterated the determination of the new PNH North Departmental Directorate, led by Divisional Commissioner Sem Calixte, to hunt down all bandits seeking to sow panic in the department. After "Nan Zonbi", the police in the North have announced that they are targeting several other areas in the department, which are considered dangerous. https://lenouvelliste.com/article/255827/cinq-morts-et-un-blesse-au-cours-dune-operation-policiere-au-cap-haitien
IDP President Pledges investment for jobs at Caracol Industrial Park & for water and sanitation
The President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn, visited the Caracol Industrial Park (PIC) in the Northeast department on Thursday, May 8, 2025, accompanied by a delegation composed of several high-ranking Haitian officials. This two-day mission in the North and Northeast aimed to assess the projects financed by the IDB and meet with key players in the industrial sector. Among the notable figures present were the Ministers of Planning and External Cooperation, Ketleen Florestal, of Economy and Finance, Alfred-Fils Métellus, of Agriculture, Vernet Joseph, of Commerce, James Monazard, as well as local authorities such as the Departmental Delegate Dionel Germain and the Government Commissioner of Fort-Liberté, Me Éno Zéphirin.
The incumbent of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), Alfred Fils Métellus, and the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Brazilian Ilan Goldfajn, signed, on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Cap Haïtien (North), an amendment to the agreement of the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene Project for urban, peri-urban and rural areas of the far North of Haiti, according to information gathered by the online agency AlterPresse.
During its visit to northern Haiti, from Wednesday, May 7 to Thursday, May 8, 2025, the IDB delegation, led by Ilan Goldfajn, expressed its satisfaction after the signing of the agreement for the revised program amounting to 125 million US dollars (Editor's note: US $ 1.00 = 135.00 gourdes; 1 euro = 149.00 gourdes; 1 Canadian dollar = 95.00 goudes; 1 Dominican peso = 2.40 gourdes today). This revised project is expected to promote access to basic water services for 11,200 households in rural areas of the Far North, as well as improve access to drinking water for another 122,125 households in the Far North of Haiti. https://www.alterpresse.org/spip.php?article31680
Thousands Affected and Irrigation Canal Damaged in Ouanaminthe
Torrential rains hit the city of Ouanaminthe on Monday, May 5, 2025, causing significant flooding, particularly in the popular neighborhood of Gaya. The provisional report provided by the Head of Civil Protection for the Northeast, Joanis Fleury, states that 3,286 houses were flooded, and 4,365 families were affected. In response to this critical situation, local and departmental authorities, in collaboration with Civil Protection, quickly deployed emergency measures. They proceeded with the evacuation of families at risk and provided them with food and hygiene kits. Brigadiers were also mobilized to strengthen relief operations.
Besides the material losses suffered by the population, these downpours also caused considerable damage to the irrigation canal construction site on the Massacre River, in the Maribaroux plain. A portion of the gabion wall was swept away by the force of the water, according to on-site observations. Like many other major cities in the country, Ouanaminthe remains particularly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its fragile environment. This is not the first time the city has experienced such flooding due to heavy rains. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/255952/thousands-affected-and-irrigation-canal-damaged-in-ouanaminthe
Declaration of public utility for airport in Les Cayes
The executive has declared of public utility "certain lands of the second and third communal sections of Fonfrède and Laborde in the commune of Les Cayes for the extension of the spaces reserved for the construction of the international airport of Les Cayes, informed a press release from the Prime Minister's office after the Council of Ministers of April 30, 2025. On April 3, 2013, two decrees were adopted to declare certain portions of land to be of public utility, with a view to the construction of the Les Cayes International Airport. However, these areas proved insufficient for the planned work. Thus, additional land has been declared of public utility in the commune of Les Cayes, particularly in the second and third communal sections of Fonfrède and Laborde, with a view to carrying out the expansion work of the Les Cayes International Airport, indicated the press release, which has not yet disclosed information on the area in question
The executive authorizes the establishment of two commercial free zones
The CPT and the government of Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, during a council of ministers, April 30, 2025, authorized the establishment of two commercial free zones "LAFITO COMMERCIAL FREE ZONE" in Lafito, Habitation Lafiteau-Simonette, 3rd communal section of Source Matelas, commune of Cabaret and the port free zone called: "PC TERMINALS FREE ZONE" at Habitation Chinourette, 5th communal section of Fonds-Blanc, commune of Terrier-Rouge, district of Trou du Nord, department of North-East. "Aware of the relief that free zones can bring to the populations of certain regions of the country in terms of job creation, and with the aim of promoting the attractiveness of the country for foreign investment, the Presidential Transitional Council and the government have deemed it necessary to authorize, by decree, these establishments," the government justified. https://lenouvelliste.com/article/255823/lexecutif-autorise-limplantation-de-deux-zones-franches-commerciales
Press Freedom Strangled by Insecurity and Economic Hardship
Haiti drops eight places in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), falling from 93rd to 111th out of 180 countries and territories, with a lower score of 51.06. This decline is part of a worrying global trend: press freedom is deteriorating in half of the countries around the world. In Haiti, this deterioration is especially alarming. Haiti’s fall in the rankings is explained by a dramatic combination of violence, political crisis, and economic hardship. The Haitian media sector, already weakened, now faces an environment of extreme insecurity. In a country gripped by deep political and social instability, journalists are paying a heavy price: threats, assaults, kidnappings, and murders — often committed with total impunity. The Haitian capital is now fragmented into zones controlled by gangs, drastically limiting journalists' mobility and forcing them to retreat to the few neighborhoods still accessible. Several have had to flee the country to save their lives.
On top of the insecurity, there is severe economic precarity. According to RSF, Haitian journalists — lacking resources, access to information, and institutional support — struggle to practice their profession. “This economic vulnerability, observed in many countries, is a key factor in the decline of press freedom. Without stable and transparent funding, media outlets are vulnerable to pressure from advertisers, ownership concentration, or manipulation by political or economic actors,” warns RSF, emphasizing that “without economic independence, there can be no free press.” The organization is thus advocating for structural reform on a global scale to ensure journalists have the conditions needed to produce reliable information in service of the public interest.
Alleged Embezzlement by Office for Citizen Protection (OPC)
An in-depth investigation by the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC) has revealed dubious schemes for the misappropriation of public funds involving former Public Protector Renan Hédouville and several executives of the Office for the Protection of Citizens (OPC). The allegations primarily relate to official missions that were never carried out, even though the funds were disbursed for their execution. https://lenouvelliste.com/article/255996/scandale-de-corruption-a-lopc-165-millions-de-gourdes-auraient-ete-detournees-pour-des-voyages-fictifs
ULCC Calls for Prosecution of Three Former Government Officials for Corruption
The Director General of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC), Me Hans Ludwig Joseph, handed over six finalized investigation reports to the Public Prosecutor's Office of Port-au-Prince this Thursday. These documents concern serious acts of corruption involving several high-ranking government officials, including the former Ombudsman Renan Hédouville, the former Director of OFATMA, Carl François, as well as the Director of Immigration and Emigration, Stéphane Vincent. The ULCC recommends legal action against them.
According to the ULCC, the individuals involved are accused of various offenses, including embezzlement of public property, abuse of office, illegal awarding of public contracts, illegal taking of interests, obstruction of justice, extortion, favoritism, conspiracy, forgery and use of forgeries, forgery in public writing, and impersonation. During the official presentation of the investigation summaries to the press, Me Joseph strongly denounced "the operators of corruption," whom he accuses of multiplying their strategies in almost all spheres of the State to plunder the public treasury with the same cynicism and arrogance as armed criminals. https://lenouvelliste.com/en/article/255988/ulcc-calls-for-prosecution-of-three-former-government-officials-over-corruption
Three Perspectives on designation of Haitian gangs as “terrorists”
International Crisis Group, Diego da Rin: “The negative effects risk far outweighing the benefits”
The Vivre Ensemble gang coalition, which is wreaking terror in Port-au-Prince, and the Gran Grif gang, which is spreading its web in the Artibonite department, were designated by the United States on Friday, May 2, as "foreign terrorist organizations." " The era of impunity for those who support violence in Haiti is over ," said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement. Analysis by International Crisis Group researcher Diego Da Rin, a Haiti specialist.
Diego Da Rin: This designation could be a way to increase the legal risks for anyone who supports gangs in one way or another, but also to more easily target networks involved in arms trafficking to gangs in Haiti . But in reality, the negative effects of this measure are likely to far outweigh its benefits. This "terrorist" label is a highly political tool. And it's a nearly irreversible measure that has little impact on actors who are already outside any legal framework. If the ultimate goal is to reintegrate these groups or offer a way out to some of their members, particularly minors who are increasingly recruited into gangs, this designation complicates everything.
Another reason that was put forward by some U.S. government officials was to make it easier to transfer Haitian gang leaders to El Salvador, to the detention center known as Cecot . But right now, on the ground, it's the gangs that have the upper hand over the security forces. So the question remains: how are these gang members going to be captured before being transferred to prisons in other countries?
Is this designation not also likely to have negative effects on Haitian soil?
Most economic or humanitarian activities require some level of contact or negotiation with these armed groups, so this designation threatens local violence reduction efforts, humanitarian aid, and even trade. Unlike other types of sanctions, the "foreign terrorist" designation does not provide an exemption mechanism, making it extremely difficult for NGOs to work in areas controlled by these groups without exposing themselves to prosecution. Generally, businesses and humanitarian organizations prefer to shut down as a precaution to avoid exposing themselves to civil or criminal sanctions associated with this designation, the consequences of which can be too severe.
Can we also fear consequences for Haitian migrants present in the United States, who were stigmatized in particular by Donald Trump during the presidential campaign?
Of course. Another possible motivation for the new US administration to impose this measure would be to use this "terrorist" designation to expedite the expulsion of Haitian nationals suspected of being linked to gangs or to justify visa denials. This has already happened with other Latin American communities in the United States , such as Venezuelans accused, sometimes without solid evidence, of being associated with the Tren de Aragua gang . So the risk here is greater stigmatization and persecution of entire migrant communities.
Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime: How US terrorist designations could deepen criminal rule and humanitarian tragedy
In this constantly deteriorating situation, on 2 May 2025 the United States designated the Viv Ansanm gang coalition and the Gran Grif gang as foreign terrorist organizations and specially designated global terrorists. The measures bar members of the designated gangs from accessing financial institutions with a US link, and from being issued visas. They also provide for potential legal action and secondary sanctions against individuals or organizations providing various forms of support to the gangs.
The action is the latest use of counterterrorism measures as a tool to combat organized crime, building on a previous tranche of US designations targeting Latin American gangs and cartels. However, the US designations may inadvertently worsen the situation on the ground by impeding humanitarian assistance, strengthening gang governance and empowering broader criminal networks. This may drive further entrenchment of designees in the illicit political economy. But in the short term, the most pressing concern is whether the US designations will prevent Haitian and international NGOs from continuing to deliver aid to communities in gang-controlled areas that lack public services.
For NGOs working in areas under gang control in Haiti, as in other locations, negotiating access with criminal leaders is often a necessary condition for reaching affected populations. In such contexts, it is these non-state actors (and not official authorities) who dictate the terms of engagement, effectively exercising control over communities and restricting humanitarian access. Under prevailing sanctions regimes, these dynamics expose humanitarian organizations to legal and reputational risks, including potential liability for engaging – even indirectly – with sanctioned or criminal entities. There is therefore growing concern within the aid community that organizations could lose funding or face legal risks – including prosecution. Under the terrorist designation, the assistance they provide could now be classified as ‘material support’ to terrorist groups.
The inability to provide assistance could also indirectly deepen gang governance. If people find themselves even more isolated than they are today, living under the thumb of criminal leaders, the bargaining power of those bosses will be strengthened. Gangs are also likely to increase the pressure they exert through widespread extortion and territorial expansion to secure their sources of income. Finally, a halt to humanitarian support could be used by criminal leaders as another element of propaganda against international action in Haiti, which Viv Ansanm regularly condemns as foreign interference. Read more: https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/haiti-how-us-terrorist-designations-could-deepen-criminal-rule-and-humanitarian-tragedy/
Pierre Esperance, RNDDH: Designating gangs as terrorists organizations a good decision
The executive director of the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH), Pierre Espérance, responded to the United States' decision to designate criminal organizations in Haiti as terrorists. Invited to speak on this subject on Magik 9 on Thursday, May 8, 2025, the RNDDH's number one unhesitatingly supported this decision. "This is a very good decision and a big step in the battle against terrorists," commented Pierre Espérance on the Panel Magik program, recalling that since the beginning of 2024, the RNDDH had already identified Haitian gangs as terrorist organizations in light of the increase in their atrocities against the population.
Pierre Espérance believes the chances of deploying American troops to Haiti to combat armed gangs are low following the designation of the "Gran Grif" gang and the "Viv Ansanm" criminal coalition as terrorist organizations by the American administration. He emphasizes, however, that this decision could allow the Haitian government to benefit from or acquire adequate equipment to increase the capacity of the public force to fight "terrorists." Further, Pierre Espérance praised the efforts of the security forces, who have stepped up attacks against bandits through the use of suicide drones. For the first time, Mr. Espérance said he noted an increase in the use of suicide drones by law enforcement in gang-controlled neighborhoods between Sunday, May 4, and Tuesday, May 6. The RNDDH executive director indicated that on Sunday, May 4, of the four drones dropped on the Gran Ravin area, two hit the former premises of Maranatha College, which serves as a hideout for bandits and where several victims were killed. According to Pierre Espérance, most of these victims went to seek treatment at a hospital located in a town abandoned by the state and controlled by terrorists.
Still in the context of these attacks, on Tuesday, May 6, around ten suicide drones were launched, eight of which hit the Village de Dieu neighborhood, killing at least 80 people. Among the victims, around fifteen women involved in criminal activities were identified, revealed Pierre Espérance, who pointed out that these drones were launched during the match between Barcelona and Inter Milan. Mr. Espérance also noted that there is an increase in explosive charges in the drones, thus increasing their power. However, the human rights defender calls on the authorities to make proper use of drones to reach targets and avoid collateral damage.
OPINION/ANALYSIS
The Economist: Killer gangs are inches from ruling all of Haiti. They seem to be unstoppable
The collapse of Haiti’s government in April last year was a challenge but also an opportunity. An interim government called the Transitional Presidential Council was installed. A UN-brokered Kenyan-led security mission arrived soon after. But a year later things are worse than ever. “We are approaching a point of no return,” María Isabel Salvador, the UN’s top official in Haiti, told its Security Council at a meeting on April 21st.
Tasked with preparing for elections that in theory will be held in November, the council is now mired in allegations of corruption. The security force of around 1,000 people (less than half the number originally planned) has not been able to stem the chaos. Its funding runs out in September. The council is a “transitional authority that controls nothing,” says Claude Joseph, a former prime minister. “It’s an unsustainable catastrophe. We could lose Port-au-Prince at any time.”
Port-au-Prince, the capital, now sees daily gun battles in which police and civilian vigilantes face off against a gang coalition called Viv Ansanm (“Living Together”). It has seized control of much of the city. The international airport has been all but shut down; the only way in or out is by helicopter, or by a barge that skirts the coast to bypass gang territory to the south. On May 2nd the United States designated Viv Ansanm and a sister organisation as terrorist groups, opening the door to tougher criminal penalties for those who provide them with money and weapons.
The collapse of public life is accelerating. Most schools are shut. Cholera is spreading. The Marriott, one of the last functioning hotels, has closed its doors. Gangs have surrounded the offices of Digicel, Haiti’s main cellular network through which most people connect to the internet. “If Digicel goes down, the country goes dark,” warns a security expert.
The gangs don’t need it. Increasingly sophisticated, they use Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite system to communicate, organising themselves to the extent that they have been able to keep control over access to Haiti’s ports. They also extort lorry drivers and bus operators moving along many of the country’s main roads.
The UN reports that in February and March more than 1,000 people were killed and 60,000 displaced, adding to the 1m, nearly 10% of the population, who have fled their homes in the last two years. Circulating videos show gang members playing football with severed heads, bragging: “We got the dogs”.
Central Haiti, once relatively peaceful, is fragmenting into fiefs. Mirebalais, a city which lies between Port-au-Prince and the border with the Dominican Republic, is now controlled by gangs. “The country has become a criminal enterprise. It’s the wild, wild west,” says a foreign official.
Patience is running thin at the UN Security Council. The United States has already committed $600m to the security mission, but is unlikely to offer more. “America cannot continue shouldering such a significant financial burden,” said Dorothy Shea, the US ambassador to the UN. Few other countries want to donate.
The council is so desperate that it is exploring deals with private military contractors. It has been talking to Osprey Global Solutions, a firm based in North Carolina. The founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince, visited Haiti in April to negotiate contracts to provide attack drones and training for an anti-gang task force. The council declined to comment.
The Haitian police are overwhelmed; an estimated 12,000 officers polices a population that approaches 12m, barely half the international standard. Weak leadership, poor co-ordination with the Kenyan-led force, and calls for the ousting of the police chief point to deep institutional rot.
In Canapé-Vert, one of Port-au-Prince’s last gang-free pockets, a former policeman known as “Commander Samuel” leads a vigilante group called Du Sang 9 (“New Blood” in Creole). Gangs have thinned its numbers. It is all that stands between them and the prime minister’s office.