Overview:
A new International Crisis Group report examines how Haiti’s powerful gang coalition Viv Ansanm, led by the FIB fugitive Jimmy “Barcue” Chérizier, uses populist rhetoric, social media and symbolic gestures to portray itself as a defender of the poor against “corrupt oligarchs” while seeking political recognition and amnesty. The report warns that amid political instability and the impending expiration of the Transitional Presidential Council’s mandate, gangs may seek to install allies within the government to protect their interests.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haitian gangs are increasingly using populist rhetoric, historical symbolism and social media to portray themselves as defenders of the poor while pursuing political recognition and amnesty, according to a new report published Monday, Dec. 15, by the International Crisis Group (ICG).
The report focuses on Viv Ansanm, a powerful gang coalition led by FBI fugitive Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, and warns that amid deepening instability and a looming leadership vacuum, armed groups are repositioning themselves not just as criminal actors — but as political stakeholders. The report suggests that the coalition’s strategy is less about justice and more about survival: securing influence, avoiding prosecution, and placing allies within government.
Gangs shift from elite enforcers to self-styled political actors seeking power and protection
Based on more than 300 interviews conducted between February 2022 and November 2025, the report traces how gangs have evolved from being tools of political and economic elites to independent groups exerting territorial control through violence.
As their power has expanded, gang leaders have adopted overtly political messaging, casting themselves as nationalists fighting against Haiti’s entrenched elites — many of whom once funded or protected them.
“The gangs are increasingly trying to frame their struggle as motivated by social injustice,” the report said.
“Viv Ansanm claims to defend the most disadvantaged and does so using a series of symbols evoking Haiti’s history of resistance to oppression.”
“Viv Ansanm claims to defend the most disadvantaged and does so using a series of symbols evoking Haiti’s history of resistance to oppression.”
International Crisis Group
Chérizier, the coalition’s most visible and vocal figure, has been central to the messaging. Through social media videos and statements, he rallies support against the political and business establishment, aiming to reshape public perception. Although gang leaders livestream less than before, they remain highly active online and often appear unmasked — a signal of both confidence and a desire for legitimacy.
Viv Ansanm now presents itself as a political movement capable of fielding candidates, despite lacking legal recognition. Its populist outreach includes distributing money and gifts, installing electricity in underserved neighborhoods, and handing out school supplies — even as the group continues to use violence to maintain control.
“Haitian gangs have mutated from being tools in the hands of the most powerful to overlords of the country,” said Diego Da Rin, the ICG’s Haiti analyst. “While they continue their violent expansion and profit at the expense of Haitian people, they are attempting to rebrand themselves as defenders of the poorest.
Amnesty as the ultimate objective in a volatile political moment
Behind the populist messaging lies a clear objective: amnesty.
Viv Ansanm has called for dialogue with authorities and hopes to secure guarantees that would protect gang leaders and their allies from prosecution. The report identifies former rebel and drug convict Guy Philippe as the political figure most openly aligned with the gangs, citing his public support for amnesty for both armed groups and elites linked to them.
“The gangs are calling for the start of negotiations, hoping to secure the appointment of their allies within the government as well as obtain amnesty for themselves.”
International Crisis Group
According to the international conflict prevention organization, under former Prime Minister Garry Conille, Haiti appeared closer to exploring talks with gangs, particularly after he suggested that negotiations could follow the laying down of weapons. That possibility faded after Conille’s dismissal, prompting gangs to pursue negotiations independently, the report concludes.
In August, Viv Ansanm wrote to the U.N. secretary-general’s special representative in Haiti, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, arguing that the country’s crisis could only be resolved through dialogue and presenting their coalition as a unified negotiating partner.
The report warns that Haiti’s ongoing political instability — particularly ahead of the expiration of the Transitional Presidential Council’s mandate on Feb. 7, 2026 — creates opportunities for gangs to expand their influence within state institutions.
“Viv Ansanm will likely seek to exploit this transitional period to ensure that individuals willing to align with its members are included in any political configuration,” ICG states. “The gangs are calling for negotiations, hoping to secure the appointment of their allies within the government as well as obtain amnesty for themselves.”
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