Who is Jimmy “Barbecue” Charizier, the gang leader who spread violence and chaos on the streets of Haiti?

History has repeatedly shown that in times of depression and social unrest, individuals emerge who present themselves as “unifiers” in the midst of chaos, champions of noble causes and “fighting for the common good”.

However, under the veneer of apparent benevolence, lies a darker reality: these supposed saviors, far from seeking collective benefit, are driven by their interests and exploiting the crisis for their own gain.

Haiti cannot escape this reality.

The Caribbean country has reached critical levels of armed violence, with criminal gangs intensifying their activities to the point of uniting to form ever more dangerous and powerful coalitions.

The incident has radically changed the security landscape in this nation, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and the resignation of the prime minister. Ariel Henry who tried to stay in power.

One character who has earned a name and who has put a face to this scene of violence and chaos is Jimmy Charizier, Better known by his nickname ““Barbecue”A former Haitian National Police officer who was born in Port-au-Prince on March 30, 1977, became the leader of one of the country’s deadliest armed groups and identified as UN And United States Department of the Treasury As responsible for countless AtrocityIncluding massacres and brutal attacks that escalated the crisis in the Caribbean nation.

Originating from the poor neighborhood of Lower Delmas From Port-au-Prince, Charizier grew up the youngest of eight children. The death of his father when he was five left the family in a vulnerable situation, struggling to make ends meet in one of the most deprived areas of the Haitian capital.

raids of Charizier His involvement in violence and organized crime dates back to his time as an agent of the Haitian National Police, where he planned and participated in deadly attacks against civilians in neighborhoods. Salty in Port-au-Prince in November 2018. The attack left at least 71 people dead and more than 400 houses destroyed, besides the rape of at least seven women by armed gangs. It was classified as the country’s worst massacre in a decade.

Shortly after, he was dismissed from the police force and an arrest warrant was issued against him, although he managed to evade arrest.

In November 2019, he was involved in a four-day attack in the neighborhood Bel-Air from the capital of Haiti, where he, along with several gang members, set fire to houses and killed at least 24 people.

“Barbecue”Defending himself against the charges, Ma said in an interview Al Jazeera That his fight was against the corrupt system and he denied being part of organized crime. Despite this, in 2020encouraged the creation of G-9 and familyA coalition of nine gangs that showed closeness to the then President Jovenal MoiseEvidence of complex power dynamics and connections between politics and illegal groups in the heart of Haiti.

Charizier Moise received material, logistical and financial support from senior government officials, who provided him with money, weapons, police uniforms and official vehicles to carry out attacks, according to an investigation by the International Human Rights Clinic of the Faculty of Law. Harvard University.

These acts of violence benefited both certain members of the government and the “Barbecue”. On the one hand, authorities can exercise strict control over political dissidents. On the other hand, Jimmy Charizier consolidated his dominance as the leader of the Delmas 6 group.

In May 2020, the gang leader carried out several attacks in the neighborhood Pont-Rouge, Chancelles, La Saline and Fort Dimanche, seeks to expand its territorial domain with police support. As a result of the clashes, many people were killed and houses were destroyed.

Before the official formation of G-9 and family, “Barbecue” released a video in June 2020, presenting the coalition as a means of pacifying Port-au-Prince. However, the alliance facilitated the gang’s territorial expansion and provided Haitian authorities with a tool to combat the opposition.

The assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021 marked a turning point for the “Barbecue” and the G-9, as they sought to take advantage of the resulting power vacuum, demanding that their guidelines be followed in response to the assassination.

In October of that year, he forced the then interim prime minister to flee a ceremony, Ariel Henry Following a shootout between gang members and security forces. In November, he led the blockade of the country’s main oil terminal Warreux Terminal, In an attempt to destabilize the government.

Charizier has stated in various interviews that his nickname came from his mother’s sale of fried chicken in a poor neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, however, some claim it was because he Burn the houses and corpses of their victims.

“Their actions have directly contributed to the economic and humanitarian paralysis in Haiti”The United States Treasury Department noted.

After continued attacks on government nerve centers and the decision to take Haiti’s National Palace by force, gang violence led by Charizier Ariel Henry to collapse.

The now former head of government, who assumed national leadership after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, has faced national and international pressure to promote a transition of power that would contribute to reducing the severe crisis and overwhelming violence that is plaguing the nation. .

The “barbecue” threats, along with civil war and the imminent arrival of a Kenyan-led multinational mission in the Caribbean nation, set off a wave of violence in the region.

A recent bilateral agreement between Kenya and Haiti paves the way for the deployment of a contingent. 1,000 officers Kenyan police, a UN-backed measure since October last year.

The urgency of this intervention has intensified as a result of all these violent episodes led by “Barbecue” and other gang leaders, including the killing of four police officers and attacks on several police stations, which have plunged the country into a state of fear. and chaos.

Attacks on key institutions and clashes in strategic areas of Port-au-Prince, which stretch from Champ de Mars to Nazon, indicate a profound erosion of internal security.

Beset by these acts of violence, Haitians add a new disruption to their already impoverished daily lives, resulting in the suspension of commercial and educational activities.