ChromaCobra
Well-known member
"US Targets Two Key Haitian Gang Leaders, Ex-Police Officer in Sanctions Over Terrorist Ties"
The US Treasury has issued sanctions against two key figures in Haiti's gang-ridden crisis: former police officer Dimitri Herard and alleged gang leader Kempes Sanon. The move aims to cut off their access to assets in the US, while also prohibiting American-based entities from doing business with them.
Herard, a veteran of the Haitian security forces who was imprisoned by authorities for his involvement in President Jovenel Moise's assassination, allegedly collaborated with the Viv Ansanm alliance, a powerful coalition of gangs that has exploited Haiti's power vacuum to expand its control. The US Treasury described Herard as having "colluded with the Viv Ansanm alliance" through training and gun provision.
Sanon, meanwhile, is identified as the leader of the Bel Air gang, part of the Viv Ansanm alliance. He has been accused of involvement in killings, extortion, and kidnappings. The US Treasury said Sanon played a significant role in building the power of the Viv Ansanm alliance, which now controls nearly 90% of Port-au-Prince.
The sanctions were announced as part of President Donald Trump's hardline stance against Latin American criminal organizations, citing their role in unregulated immigration and drug-trafficking on US soil. The move has been seen as part of a broader crackdown on groups like Viv Ansanm, which has been designated by the US government as a "foreign terrorist organization".
The UN Security Council echoed the US sanctions, designating both Herard and Sanon. It also agreed to extend its arms embargo on Haiti, which began in 2022.
Critics say that more needs to be done to address the crisis in Haiti, where nearly 1.4 million people have been displaced due to gang violence, and over 5,600 people were killed last year alone. The US Ambassador to Haiti, Jennifer Locetta, has called for more designations against individual suspects.
The sanctions are seen as a key component of the international response to the crisis in Haiti, where the lack of democratic governance and institutions has created an environment in which gangs can flourish.
The US Treasury has issued sanctions against two key figures in Haiti's gang-ridden crisis: former police officer Dimitri Herard and alleged gang leader Kempes Sanon. The move aims to cut off their access to assets in the US, while also prohibiting American-based entities from doing business with them.
Herard, a veteran of the Haitian security forces who was imprisoned by authorities for his involvement in President Jovenel Moise's assassination, allegedly collaborated with the Viv Ansanm alliance, a powerful coalition of gangs that has exploited Haiti's power vacuum to expand its control. The US Treasury described Herard as having "colluded with the Viv Ansanm alliance" through training and gun provision.
Sanon, meanwhile, is identified as the leader of the Bel Air gang, part of the Viv Ansanm alliance. He has been accused of involvement in killings, extortion, and kidnappings. The US Treasury said Sanon played a significant role in building the power of the Viv Ansanm alliance, which now controls nearly 90% of Port-au-Prince.
The sanctions were announced as part of President Donald Trump's hardline stance against Latin American criminal organizations, citing their role in unregulated immigration and drug-trafficking on US soil. The move has been seen as part of a broader crackdown on groups like Viv Ansanm, which has been designated by the US government as a "foreign terrorist organization".
The UN Security Council echoed the US sanctions, designating both Herard and Sanon. It also agreed to extend its arms embargo on Haiti, which began in 2022.
Critics say that more needs to be done to address the crisis in Haiti, where nearly 1.4 million people have been displaced due to gang violence, and over 5,600 people were killed last year alone. The US Ambassador to Haiti, Jennifer Locetta, has called for more designations against individual suspects.
The sanctions are seen as a key component of the international response to the crisis in Haiti, where the lack of democratic governance and institutions has created an environment in which gangs can flourish.
... sounds like a pretty big deal tho, especially since it's about 2 people who are literally ruining haiti for everyone else 
. i feel bad for the ppl affected by gang violence and all but at the same time, you gotta wonder if sanctions really do that much good 
. seems like it's just another thing for the government to do tho 
. can't help but think that more needs to be done, though... 1.4 million ppl displaced is wild 