Haitian Gang Leader Issues Warning to Foreign Forces: No Abuses Allowed

Haitian gang leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier has warned any potential foreign force sent to Haiti against committing human rights abuses, vowing to fight against them. The request for international intervention comes as violence escalates in Port-au-Prince, with Prime Minister Ariel Henry calling for a specialized armed force to address the surge in gang violence. While some Haitians believe outside help is necessary, civil society groups and watchdog organizations express skepticism due to past interventions causing more harm than good. Kenya has offered to lead a multinational force, but concerns have been raised about the human rights track record of Kenyan police. Cherizier, who has been sanctioned by the US, Canada, UK, and the UN, has presented himself as a revolutionary fighting inequality and corruption. The timing of a UN Security Council resolution for a foreign mission to Haiti remains uncertain.