International
Haiti’s most powerful gang leader proposes to lay down his arms in pursuit of a national dialogue
Former police officer Jimmy Cherisier, alias ‘Barbecue’, the most powerful armed gang leader in Haiti, proposed this Friday to Prime Minister, Garry Conille, to lay down his arms in an attempt to engage in a national dialogue with a view to recovering peace.
“We have decided to publicly announce that our strategy of laying down arms to facilitate national dialogue and promote peace is already written in black and white on our agenda,” Cherisier, who leads the coalition of armed gangs Vivre Ensemble (Living Together), told the media.
With a red garnet jacket and glasses, it was another Barbacue who appeared before the press today, with a written speech.
A man who usually allows himself to be seen armed and prepared for combat, this time showed a different tone and gestures, repeating again and again his call to national dialogue.
“We are willing to choose a credible and coherent Haitian citizen in the diaspora to facilitate dialogue in order to end this mafia war and facilitate the path to peace in the country,” Barbecue insisted.
Too many divisions, discord and conflicts between local actors have led the international community to look for Garry Conille and put him as prime minister, he recalled, denouncing the “political and economic mafia that keeps the country kidnapped.”
“We want peace because we want to destroy the war. We want dialogue because we want peace. All those who do not want dialogue sat in the war,” said the leader of the most powerful gangs in the country.
According to Barbecue, the weapons used by his men have been put in their hands by “personalities,” who have also sold them weapons.
The former policeman admitted to having made “several mistakes” in his activities as a gang leader.
“Why won’t this man, Dr. Garry Conille, take advantage of the national dialogue to end the war and bring peace back to the whole country?” he wondered.
According to Cherisier, the prime minister must clearly understand that national dialogue is the only way to ensure that the country does not follow the same course that it has tridled so far.
“Only through national dialogue will the Haitian State be able to regain control of the country’s territories, as required by the current Constitution,” said Barbecue, who did not cease to praise Conille’s merits.
He also affirmed that armed gangs should be considered rebel forces, not gangs.
“Let’s focus on the real solution, which is the national dialogue, where every Haitian, without discrimination, has the right to speak. And that’s what the mafias don’t want. They don’t want dialogue because they want to continue with the war,” he said, without identifying those “mafias.”
Barbacue, a powerful gang leader, has received accusations of committing several massacres, murders and homicides in the country. His name Barbecue comes from the fact that he burned his adversaries in an oven once they were captured.
The last crime committed by the leader of the gang – which he himself has claimed – was the murder of three police officers from the Elite Anti-Pang Unit (UTAG, in French) of the National Police in his bastion of Delmas 18, Sans Fil, on Sunday, June 9.
The ex-police is at the head of the two most powerful coalitions of armed gangs in Haiti, the G9 and the GPEP.
Last February, the armed coalition Vivre Ensemble created a situation of terror in Haiti, facing the police, destroying and burning police stations and expelling thousands of residents from their homes. The center of Port-au-Prince is totally destroyed due to the terror of the armed gangs, which dominate much of the capital.
A first contingent of police officers from Kenya have been in Port-au-Prince for more than a week, as part of an advance of 1,000 agents from that country who, together with members of security forces from other nations, will form a multinational mission to help the Haitian authorities regain control of the country.
International
Mexico City prepares for 13 million pilgrims at Basilica of Guadalupe
The Mexico City government is expecting at least 13 million pilgrims to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the December 12 celebrations honoring Mexico’s patron saint. To ensure the safety and care of visitors, authorities have launched the “Basilica Operation,” mobilizing more than 105,000 public servants.
Mayor Clara Brugada stated that the operation began on December 5 and will continue until December 14, covering the peak of visits to the basilica, located in the Gustavo A. Madero borough in the north of the city.
Key measures include reinforcement of the Metro public transport system, particularly at stations near the sanctuary, the installation of three helipads for medical emergencies, and the involvement of Civil Protection brigades, health ministry personnel, and public safety officers.
Secretary of Public Security Pablo Vázquez explained that the deployment also includes 255 patrol units and numerous specialized teams to manage crowds, traffic, and emergency situations, aiming to guarantee a secure experience for all pilgrims.
Central America
Mexico and Guatemala launch joint security operation after Agua Zarca border attack
The Government of Mexico announced on Tuesday that it has strengthened coordination with Guatemala following an armed confrontation in the community of Agua Zarca, in Guatemala’s Huehuetenango department, where a soldier was wounded in an attack attributed to organized-crime groups operating on both sides of the border.
The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection, Omar García Harfuch, confirmed that Mexico is exchanging information with Guatemalan authorities and that Mexican Army units have been deployed along the border to reinforce surveillance and assist in reconnaissance operations.
The attack, Guatemala’s Defense Ministry stated, reflects the “criminal dynamics” dominating that border region, where different groups compete for drug and arms trafficking routes.
According to Guatemala’s Defense Ministry, the clash left a soldier wounded in the leg after suspected criminals crossed from Mexico and opened fire. The wounded soldier is reportedly in stable condition. Authorities also seized high-caliber weapons, explosives, tactical gear and drones, which were handed over for forensic analysis.
Mexican Defense Secretary General Ricardo Trevilla Trejo announced that a coordinated plan of operations will be launched involving both Mexican and Guatemalan forces along the border to counter these criminal networks.
Harfuch emphasized that the violence is not isolated but symptomatic of the ongoing struggle between criminal organizations for territorial control, and reiterated Mexico’s commitment to bilateral security cooperation and its intention to strengthen institutional presence in vulnerable border zones.
International
Zelensky meets Pope Leo XIV as review of U.S. peace plan continues
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met on Tuesday with Pope Leo XIV in Italy, after pledging to deliver a response to the United States regarding the proposed peace plan aimed at ending the war with Russia.
The meeting with the pontiff took place at the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, where Leo XIV “reiterated the need to continue dialogue and renewed his urgent hope that the ongoing diplomatic initiatives may lead to a just and lasting peace,” the Vatican said in a statement.
His visit to Italy follows Monday’s meetings with European leaders in London and Brussels, amid pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to agree to a peace plan that Zelensky said he is still reviewing.
According to Zelensky, the plan presented by Washington—originally consisting of 28 points—was reduced to 20 after discussions between Ukrainian and U.S. representatives over the weekend. “We are going to work on those 20 points. We are not completely satisfied with the proposals from our partners,” Zelensky said during an online press conference on Monday.
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