On Wednesday, August 17, 2023, former police officer Jimmy Cherizier alias "Barbecue" Leader of the most powerful coalition of gangs in Haiti "G9 Family and Allies" held a press conference with nearly two dozen journalists at a construction site in Port au Prince. He wore sandals, white pants and an orange hooded "sweatshirt" emblazoned with a religious symbol used in voodoo.

He was accompanied by several G9 members who carried handguns under their clothing, unlike previous media appearances in which they openly held assault rifles.

"If the foreign forces arrive, they arrest the oligarchs, politicians and corrupt politicians who sell weapons and ammunition to the populations of the disadvantaged neighborhoods, I will applaud them."

"If the first thing they do when they arrive in the country is to arrest [Haitian Prime Minister] Ariel Henry, we will applaud the foreign force. If we see them working to restore security to the country so that life can return to normal, we will applaud them."

But he warned that he would fight any international armed forces deployed in Haiti if they committed abuses.

"If the foreign forces arrive in 2023 or 2024, and we see them sexually assaulting women, raping young boys like the Uruguayan soldiers did in 2004… If that is what they come to do in the neighborhoods underprivileged, in addition to opening fire on us, killing people or massacring them, we Haitians will fight them until our last drop of blood," specifying that this will not only involve the G9 but also the people "We must protect our dignity. We must defend our sovereignty so that we can live as human beings."

Let's recall that "Barbecue" is the only gang leader in Haiti under sanctions from the UN, the EU, Canada and the USA. The UN said he "has engaged in acts that threaten the peace, security and stability of Haiti and that he has planned, directed or committed acts that constitute serious violations of human rights. He has been accused by authorities of orchestrating several massacres and organizing a fuel blockade last year that paralyzed Haiti for nearly two months

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-38276-haiti-justice-the-european-union-sanctions-jimmy-cherizier-alias-barbecue.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-38307-haiti-flash-canada-sanctions-3-of-the-most-powerful-businessmen-in-haiti.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37919-haiti-un-barbecue-at-the-top-of-a-blacklist-vote-of-the-resolution-pending.html

SL/ HaitiLibre