U.N. approves sanctions on violent Haitian gangs amid humanitarian crisis

Oct. 21 (UPI) -- The U.N. Security Council Friday unanimously agreed to sanctions targeting Haitian gang leaders and their financing. It's an effort to quell ongoing violence fueling a humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

The U.N. sanctions resolution specifically targets Jimmy Cherizier, alleging that the ex-police officer is a powerful gang boss known as "Barbeque." According to the U.N., he leads a gang called "G9 Families and Allies" and has planned or directed "serious human rights abuses."

According to the U.N., the sanctions will include assets freezes, travel bans and arms embargoes against people in Haiti supporting criminal activity and violence involving armed groups and networks.

Criminal gangs have blocked access to the main fuel terminal in Haiti's capital of Port-au-Prince impeding critical services. The U.N. said 4.7 million people face "catastrophic" hunger while losing jobs, health services and access to markets.

Earlier this month the U.N. said it was considering deploying armed troops to Haiti at the request of the Haitian government.

U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the sanctions, "send a clear message to the bad actors that are holding Haiti hostage. The international community will not stand idly by while you wreak havoc on the Haitian people."

Greenfield said the U.S. and Mexico are working on a resolution that would authorize a non-U.N. international security assistance mission with the twin goals of addressing security issues and facilitating humanitarian aid to Haiti.

The violent chaos in Haiti worsened following the assassination of then-president Jovenel Moise in 2021. In January a second suspect was arrested in that assassination.