The Trump administration has urged Haitians and members of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) to remain vigilant and ignore calls for peace made by notorious gang leader Jimmy Cherizier, alias Barbecue.
In a statement released on Monday, September 8, the US Embassy in Haiti warned that Barbecue was circulating videos portraying himself as a peacemaker, while in reality fuelling violence and chaos. The embassy described such messages as deceptive tactics designed to manipulate public opinion and weaken ongoing anti-gang operations.
“Terrorist gangs can make videos and spread lies. They say they want peace, but are the cause of the violence, displacement, and destruction of Haiti. Help us catch more criminals in and outside of Haiti. The era of impunity is over!” the statement read.
The caution came just a week after Barbecue, leader of the Viv Ansanm coalition, one of Haiti’s most feared gangs, announced that his armed men would withdraw from several neighborhoods, including Delmas 30, Solino, Christ Roi, and Nazon. He claimed the move would allow displaced residents to return to their homes, a message that initially brought hope to many Haitians and peacekeepers on the ground.
However, US officials dismissed the announcement as “mere trickery,” stressing that gangs were the root cause of Haiti’s instability. To underscore its stance, Washington has sanctioned four more individuals accused of orchestrating gang violence, including Barbecue himself, who faces allegations of kidnappings, murders, and plotting attacks against government infrastructure.
On August 13, the FBI announced a reward of up to Ksh647 million for information leading to Barbecue’s arrest, signaling Washington’s intent to dismantle Haiti’s most violent criminal networks.
