Haitian Gangs Pose Growing Threat to Security Forces and Transitional Council
As the Kenyan-led multinational police force prepares to deploy to Haiti, Western diplomats and officials are sounding the alarm about the increasing influence and capability of Haitian gangs. These gangs, suspected of having ties to the 2021 assassination of Haiti’s president, have a stranglehold on the country’s infrastructure, from police stations to seaports, and have even forced hundreds of thousands of people from the capital.
Security experts warn that the incoming 2,500 police officers will face a better equipped, funded, trained, and unified gang force than any previous mission deployed to Haiti. The gangs, once reliant on Haiti’s political and business elite for financial support, have now found independent financial lifelines, making them more autonomous and dangerous.
Recent intelligence assessments reveal that some gangs have acquired automatic weapons, possibly stolen from regional militaries or converted from semiautomatic rifles. These gangs have also changed their public posture, posting social media videos of themselves acting like militias with national ambitions.
One of the most powerful gang leaders, Johnson André, known as Izo, leads the 5 Segonn gang, believed to be the largest cocaine trafficker in Haiti. Another gang leader, Vitel’homme Innocent, has been linked to the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
The gangs have also formed alliances, such as Vivre Ensemble, to overcome obstacles like the closure of the Dominican Republic’s border with Haiti. However, internal conflicts and power struggles within these alliances have led to chaos and violence, including the recent storming of two prisons and the release of thousands of prisoners.
Former security officials, like Dimitri Hérard, who was freed in the prison break, are now advising and organizing gangs, possibly providing connections to larger criminal organizations in the region, including drug cartels. The gangs are increasingly linked to drug trafficking, with some former police officers involved in the drug trade.
As the transitional council in Haiti tries to set a path for elections, there are concerns that political interference and proposals for immunity for gangs and corrupt officials could further destabilize the country. The government of former President Michel Martelly, accused of rampant corruption, has been lobbying Caribbean leaders and allies to influence the interim government.
The situation in Haiti remains precarious, with the gangs posing a significant threat to security forces and the transitional council. The international community is closely monitoring the developments in the country as efforts are made to restore stability and democracy.
