Secretary of State Marco Rubio said “gangs are the “major source of instability” in the country.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday designated two Haitian gangs as foreign terrorist groups to move to control Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, he said. The action comes months after the designation has been applied to several other groups based in Mexico, Venezuela and El Salvador.
“Their ultimate goal is to create a gang-controlled state where illegal human trafficking and other criminal acts can operate freely and terrorize Haitian citizens,” Rubio said. “Terrorist designation plays an important role in the fight against these vicious groups and is an effective way to reduce support for terrorist activities.”
The statement said people or groups providing significant support to any gang could face criminal charges or removal from the United States. Individuals and entities, including US citizens or permanent residents engaged in business with groups, could also face counter-terrorism sanctions.
Haiti has long been considered one of the poorest countries in the world, but based on gross domestic product and other indicators, it has been considered one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere.
Related Stories
While years of gang conflict in Haiti has received little international response, neighboring countries continue to bring illegal immigrants back into the Caribbean.
The country has seen a surge in gang violence in recent years after President Giovenel Moise was assassinated in mid-2021. As violence spreads across central Haiti, tens of thousands more have been evacuated in recent weeks, forcing more health facilities to close their doors and drive more people to severe food insecurity.
“These gangs continue to kill and attack Haiti, Haitian security forces and multinational security support (MSS) mission personnel,” Rubio said.
He said the US government is “standing with Haitian people as they want a safe and stable future for their country and its citizens,” and said all Haitian political leaders should try to ensure public safety and find ways to stop violence.
Friday’s designation comes around two months after the Trump administration declared Venezuelan gangster Tren de Aragua, El Salvador’s MS-13, and several Mexican drug cartels as terrorist organizations. President Donald Trump then called the Alien Enemy Act of 1798 and sent illegal immigrants from Venezuela, who are said to be Salvador’s gang members. This action has raised many legal challenges.
Reuters contributed to this report.
