Trump Administration Takes Hard Line On Haitian Violence, Labels Gangs Foreign Terrorist Organizations

The Trump administration connected Friday officially designated 2 of Haiti’s astir powerful pack networks, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, overseas violent organizations (FTOs) and specially designated world terrorists (SDGTs).

The move is aimed astatine disrupting nan gangs' operations and supporting efforts to reconstruct bid successful nan troubled Caribbean nation.

The announcement was made successful a general connection from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who declared that "the property of impunity for those supporting unit successful Haiti is over."

"These gangs person killed and proceed attacking nan group of Haiti, Haitian information forces and multinational information support (MSS) ngo unit and are committed to overthrowing nan authorities of Haiti," Rubio said. "Their eventual extremity is creating a gang-controlled authorities wherever illicit trafficking and different criminal activities run freely and terrorize Haitian citizens."

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Former constabulary officer-turned-gang leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier walks past reporters successful Port-au-Prince, Haiti, March 11, 2024.  (Reuters/Ralph Tedy Erol)

The designations bring superior ineligible consequences. Individuals aliases entities that supply worldly support to Viv Ansanm aliases Gran Grif could look criminal charges, loss of migration benefits aliases removal from nan U.S.

Viv Ansanm formed successful September 2023 done an confederation betwixt Haiti’s 2 main pack factions, G-9 and G-Pép. The conjugation has carried retired coordinated attacks connected Haitian infrastructure, including prisons, authorities buildings and nan Port-au-Prince world airport. These attacks were portion of a broader run that helped unit nan resignation of erstwhile Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

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A man carrying his belongings observes burned vehicles aft pack unit successful Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dec. 9, 2024.  (Reuters/Ralph Tedy Erol)

Gran Grif operates chiefly successful nan Artibonite region, a captious cultivation area. The State Department said nan pack has been responsible for 80% of civilian decease reports successful that area since 2022. In February 2025, Gran Grif was linked to an onslaught that killed a Kenyan serviceman pinch nan MSS mission.

According to NPR reporting from 2024, Viv Ansanm was spearheaded by Jimmy Chérizier, known arsenic Barbecue, a erstwhile constabulary serviceman turned pack leader. 

Chérizier helped unify rival gangs nether a shared extremity of opposing nan Haitian government. In an question and reply pinch NPR, he defended nan gang’s actions and blamed Haiti’s governmental elite for fostering nan lawlessness. Though he acknowledged nan violence, he claimed nan authorities had enabled nan conditions starring to it.

A female carries her belongings arsenic she flees equipped pack unit successful Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dec. 9, 2024.  (Reuters/Ralph Tedy Erol)

"These designations play a captious domiciled successful our conflict against these vicious groups and are an effective measurement to curtail support for their violent activities," Rubio said. He besides warned that U.S. citizens and lawful residents who prosecute successful transactions pinch these groups are exposing themselves to sanctions and prosecution.

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Rubio praised nan Haitian National Police and world partners for their efforts successful pushing backmost against nan gangs. "We commend nan bonzer bravery of nan Haitian National Police and each world partners supporting nan MSS ngo for their ongoing efforts to found stableness and information successful Haiti," he said.

He called connected Haitian governmental leaders to attraction connected restoring peace. 

"We impulse each of Haiti’s governmental leaders to prioritize nan information of nan Haitian people, find solutions to extremity nan unit and make advancement toward nan restoration of populist done free and adjacent elections," Rubio said.

The State Department did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.