March 30, 1977 - Jimmy Chérizier
A former police officer who leveraged institutional knowledge and a talent for coalition-building to assume control of a federation of armed groups across Port-au-Prince, Chérizier represents a particular kind of post-state power in a country where central authority had already badly eroded. His orchestration of the largest jailbreak in Haitian history and the coordinated assaults of early 2024 were less random violence than a calculated campaign to force political outcomes — and they worked, contributing directly to the resignation of acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
From Wikipedia
Jimmy Chérizier (French pronunciation: [dʒimi ʃeʁizje]; born 30 March 1977), nicknamed Barbecue (Haitian Creole: Babekyou), is a Haitian rebel and reputed gang leader, former policeman, and warlord who is the head of the Revolutionary Forces of the G9 Family and Allies (Haitian Creole: Fòs Revolisyonè G9 an Fanmi e Alye), abbreviated as "G9" or "FRG9", a federation of over a dozen Haitian gangs and armed groups based in Port-au-Prince. Known for often making public appearances in military camouflage and a beret, he calls himself the leader of an "armed revolution". Considered the most powerful warlord in Haiti, he is currently believed to be one of the country's most powerful political figures.
In early March 2024, the FRG9 staged the largest jailbreak in Haitian history and escalated attacks across the country, including an attempted siege of the Toussaint Louverture International Airport. Chérizier claimed responsibility for the attacks and stated that the goal was to capture key government institutions, overthrow acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry and become more powerful in Haiti, warning that "if Ariel Henry doesn't step down and the international community continues to support him, they will lead us directly to a civil war which will end in genocide." Henry resigned on 24 April 2024.
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