05/13/2024

Notorious Gang Leader Says his Forces are Ready for a Long Fight in Haiti

Barbecue heads the G9 federation of gangs

The gangs in Haiti cannot be ignored. This weekend, they took the streets in their neighborhoods in a show of force. NPR saw dozens of heavily armed men, some wearing balaclavas in the blazing Caribbean heat, with handguns, with assault rifles with machetes.

And Jimmy Chérizier, known as Babekyou in Haitian Creole — or Barbecue — is one of the most powerful and notorious gang leaders. He heads the G9 federation of gangs.

He is the man who convinced many of Haiti's gangs to stop fighting each other and start fighting the government. The alliance of rival gangs is known as Viv Ansanm, or "Living Together."

Please select this link to read the complete article from NPR.