Living Together: The Gangs of Haiti - Part 1: The Death of a President

Deep Dive: Exploring Organized Crime

Part 1 - "The Death of a President"

In July 2021, the President of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated as he slept at home by a band of mercenaries. His murder sparked a wave of violent protests and a period of unprecedented crisis in the small Caribbean nation that the country has still yet to address nearly four years later.

For a long time, violent gangs were used by politicians to win elections, harass political opponents and stamp out opposition. But the political vacuum and ensuing chaos after the death of the President has seen their power grow immensely. They have committed horrendous atrocities against the population that control and each other.

Massacres, extortion, mass rape, looting, and blockades have brought about a situation where gangs control an estimated 90% of the capital Port-au-Prince. It has created a humanitarian situation of catastrophic proportions, as over one-million Haitians have been internally displaced as a result of the violence.

In Part 1 of Living Together: The Gangs of Haiti, we chart the fallout from the President's murder, the brutal expansion of the gangs power and influence, as well as the relationship between political and economic actors with those same gangs.

Speakers

Jacqueline Charles, Haiti/Caribbean Correspondent, Miami Herald.

Widlore Merancourt, Editor-in-chief for Ayibopost & reporter for the Washington Post on its Haiti coverage

William (Bill) G. O'Neill, UN Independent Expert on the Human Rights Situation in Haiti

Romain Le Cour Grandmaison, Senior Expert, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime

GITOC Links

The GI-TOC Observatory of Violence and Resilience in Haiti

Will the Artibonite massacre be a turning point in Haiti - https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/artibonite-massacre-haiti/

Gangs of Haiti: Expansion, power and an escalating crisis - https://globalinitiative.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/GITOC-Gangs-of-Haiti.pdf

Violence in Haiti: A continuation of politics by other means? - https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/violence-in-haiti-politics-crime-gangs/

Additional Links

https://haitiantimes.com/fr/2021/07/27/gang-boss-leads-protest-rally-against-moise-assassination/

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/07/24/haiti-held-hostage

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20210714-haiti-crime-boss-threatens-syrian-and-lebanese-businesses-following-presidents-assassination/

https://www.nytimes.com/es/2021/07/13/espanol/haiti-soldados-colombianos.html

https://haitiantimes.com/2023/12/20/haitian-senator-sentenced-moise-assassination/

https://haitiantimes.com/2025/02/12/badio-denies-jovenel-moise-assassination/

https://www.caribbean-council.org/ariel-henry-sworn-in-as-new-haitian-prime-minister/

https://www.crisisgroup.org/latin-america-caribbean/haiti/handling-aftermath-haitis-presidential-assassination

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/charles-ap-jovenel-moise-haiti-portauprince-b2498871.html

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-moves-constitutional-referendum-september-2021-06-29/

https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2021/0330/The-battle-for-democracy-goes-on-in-Haiti-as-Moise-gains-power

https://www.freedomskn.com/haiti-leader-urges-calm-requests-help-in-nations-crisis/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-56069575

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/09/haiti-police-say-26-colombians-two-us-haitians-took-part-in-jovenel-moise-assassination-president

https://news.sky.com/story/wife-of-assassinated-haiti-president-jovenel-moise-speaks-from-hospital-bed-12353342

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m9qR6Lv8_I

https://english.elpais.com/usa/2021-07-12/anatomy-of-an-assassination-the-final-hours-of-president-jovenel-moise.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFlRoCErQVU&t=6s

https://ayibopost.com/construction-work-underway-at-village-of-god-viv-ansanm-is-tearing-down-the-lower-part-of-the-town/

https://www.bbc.com/pidgin/articles/c3gq57qzxn8o

https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/johnson-andre

https://insightcrime.org/news/haiti-crime-boss-death-signals-possible-shift-in-balance-of-power/

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/26/americas/lambert-haiti-senate-henry-intl-latam/index.html

https://haitiantimes.com/es/2021/10/20/strike-in-port-au-prince-other-cities-around-haiti-held-to-protest-gangs/

https://apnews.com/article/caribbean-port-au-prince-kidnapping-haiti-b1afcce986e48e51084f4e4096877a05

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35086-haiti-flash-deprived-of-fuel-by-gangs-the-country-at-the-gates-of-hell.html

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/4/haiti-gang-leaders-calls-on-us-un-to-break-ties-with-govt

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35096-haiti-flash-barbecue-demands-the-resignation-of-the-pm-against-the-resupply-of-fuel-in-the-country.html

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/11/12/haitian-gang-leader-says-he-will-temporarily-lift-fuel-blockades

https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/haiti-earthquake-facts

https://www.france24.com/en/americas/20210803-m%C3%A9decins-sans-fronti%C3%A8res-closes-hospital-in-haiti-amid-rising-gang-violence

https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-07-12/haiti-gangs-complicate-recovery-effort-assassination

https://www.wsj.com/articles/haiti-on-brink-of-anarchy-amid-hunger-gang-violence-and-power-vacuum-11626130421

http://hrp.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Killing_With_Impunity-1.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBS35l7nXno

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp3zw2dpqgpo

https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/12/1158506

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44412-haiti-rep-dom-26-haitian-gangs-declared-terrorist-organizations-list.html

https://lenouvelliste.com/article/240533/la-police-aux-trousses-du-chef-de-gang-vitelhomme-innocent

https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/vitelhomme-innocent

https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/vitel-homme-innocent-added-to-fbis-ten-most-wanted-fugitives-list

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/29/americas/haiti-gang-vitelhomme-innocent-kraze-barye-intl-latam/index.html

https://binuh.unmissions.org/en/haiti-human-rights-situation-remains-very-alarming

https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/02/1159791

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/25/opinion/haiti-kidnapping-gangs.html

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/oct/20/haiti-kidnapping-abduction-missionaries

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/kidnapping-haiti-shines-spotlight-gangs-risk-experts-say-2021-10-19/

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/dec/16/haiti-missionaries-released-gang-kidnapped

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zse1_Ou34k

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-61379106

https://apnews.com/article/haiti-iska-gang-killed-g9-e7aebb1321e4dabfb09810ceb1f999b0

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article274274865.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tDjORVkjoA

https://www.instagram.com/haitivisuelle/p/C8r9V6NO1CO/?img_index=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtjQuBmzjsw

https://www.instagram.com/haitivisuelle/reel/DCk13ejxzNj/

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article217110220.html

https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/26/world/haiti-fuel-hospital-intl-latam/index.html

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article245045015.html

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article298345513.html

https://haitichannelnetwork.com/haiti-la-coalition-des-gangs-armes-viv-ansanm-desormais-transformee-en-parti-politique/

https://main.un.org/securitycouncil/en/content/prophane-victor

https://haitiantimes.com/2024/10/04/gran-grif-gang-attack-pont-sonde/

https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gang-attack-pontsonde-gran-grif-1a45faafb929a605f30af4efd8454aeb

https://press.un.org/en/2024/sc15837.doc.htm

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy2612

https://lesobservateurs.ch/2025/02/21/horreur-a-haiti-un-bebe-de-2-mois-jete-dans-un-feu-par-des-membres-dun-gang-la-mere-decede-de-chagrin-la-societe-est-sous-le-choc/

https://www.leplacentin.com/societe/15-02-2025-kenscoff-eliana-thelemaque--decede-apres-avoir-assiste-a-la-mort-tragique-de-son-bebe

https://www.martinique.franceantilles.fr/actualite/faitsdivers/haiti-une-mere-meurt-apres-avoir-vu-son-bebe-de-deux-mois-brule-par-des-gangs-1024271.php

https://mag2news.com/horreur-a-kenscoff-lhistoire-deliana-thelemaque-et-du-meurtre-de-son-enfant/

https://www.instagram.com/facesofhaiti/p/DGKHyFvswNh/?hl=en&img_index=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sU6i0yfADfk

https://haitiantimes.com/2025/02/10/kenscoff-gang-attack-displacement/

https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gang-violence-kenscoff-capital-97e5fd96b963670a4faf8675d1ea7310

https://haitiantimes.com/2025/01/28/several-gang-killed-by-police-in-haiti-kenscoff/

https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/news/action-against-ndrangheta-criminal-organisation-34-arrests

https://www.justiceinfo.net/en/134262-waste-crime-in-italy-the-challenge-of-environmental-justice.html

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44873067

https://www.interpol.int/en/Crimes/Organized-crime/INTERPOL-COOPERATION-AGAINST-NDRANGHETA-I-CAN-Phase-2

https://www.worldfinance.com/markets/power-and-profits-welcome-to-the-mafia

https://euroweeklynews.com/2024/12/13/mafias-gobbling-up-italys-tourism-industry/

https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/ndrangheta-arrests-europe/

https://www.occrp.org/en/news/ndrangheta-linked-asphalt-billionaire-loses-eur212-million

https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/haiti/overview

https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sm1208

https://insightcrime.org/haiti-organized-crime-news/g9-family-profile/

https://www.rhinews.com/justice/fednel-monchery-accuse-dimplication-dans-le-massacre-de-la-saline-arrete-puis-relache-illico/

https://ayibopost.com/under-threat-the-police-officers-who-had-arrested-fednel-monchery-are-fleeing-haiti/

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https:/hrp.law.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Killing_With_Impunity-1.pdf

https://www.miamiherald.com/article230380739.html

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article290253054.html

https://x.com/hashtag/petrocaribechallenge?src=hashtag_click

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAvLTOwi4IU

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article214490259.html