U.S., Caribbean community condemn plans by gangs, allies to overthrow Haiti government
The U.S. State Department and the Caribbean Community are condemning looming threats by a powerful gang coalition in Haiti to escalate violence against residents in an effort to overthrow the country’s transitional government.
2025-04-15 19:24:35 - VI News Staff
“This is completely unacceptable,” the 15-member Caribbean Community regional bloc known as CARICOM said late Sunday, adding that the bloc “strongly condemns any attempt to replace the transitional arrangements by force and violence.”
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce, in a statement soon after, said “the United States supports the statement by CARICOM condemning any actions to destabilize Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council,” and continues to “consult with governments across the region.”
Both statements came amid imminent threats to the ruling transition amid concerns gangs and their allies are plotting an overthrow. Over the weekend, panic and anxiety across Haiti were high as residents feared vulnerable communities were next to be targeted.
The nine-member council was formed a year ago to help restore security and return the country to democracy with elections. However, members have struggled amid the increasing attacks by gangs and their own governing challenges.
Amid the political turmoil, the powerful Viv Ansanm gang coalition has been launching simultaneous operations in multiple locations far away from gangs stronghold. Their latest takeover of the city of Mirebalais in central Haiti has raised panic and underscored that no area of the country is immune.
Since coming together under the coalitions, gangs have proven themselves to be more mobile and more coordinated, carrying out military-style ambushes far away from their strongholds .
On Saturday the head of Haiti’s ruling presidential council, Fritz Alphonse Jean, spoke with CARICOM’s chairwoman, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who then reached out to the State Department. Haiti is a member of the bloc, which has been increasingly concerned about the worsening violence that has displaced over 1 million people and the lack of financial support for the Kenya-led Security Support Mission to Haiti.
Looming threats about multiple armed attacks planned for the coming days had local authorities around the country sounding the alarm on Saturday. In the south, the region’s top police official, Daniel Compère, issued a letter to his boss in the capital asking for police reinforcements due to reports that former coup leader and convicted U.S. felon Guy Philippe was reportedly preparing an armed attack against the prison in the city of Les Cayes. Philippe later denied being involved in any planned attack against the city, which was battling heavy floods on Sunday.
In the center of the country, where armed gangs are now in control of the city of Mirebalais after storming the rural town late last month, authorities issued pleas for both the neighboring city of Hinche and the Péligre dam. The dam is the country’s largest producer of electricity.