The well-known leader of a Haitian gang, Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, said in an interview that he sees himself like former US President Donald Trump.
Barbecue talked about how Trump’s idea of “draining the swamp” inspired him to go against those in power in Haiti.
He believes that, like Trump, he is a patriot and wants what is best for his country.
Barbecue leads a gang called Viv Ansanm, which has become very violent. He claims that his fight is meant to bring peace, even though his gang controls almost 85 percent of Haiti through violence.
He told reporters that the real problem is with the current leaders, saying they do not want to find peace.
His comments came shortly after the United States labelled his gang, Viv Ansanm, and others as terrorist groups on May 2.
The gang violence in Haiti has caused over a million people to leave their homes and has resulted in more than 5,000 deaths in 2024 alone.
In the first three months of 2025, there were 1,600 reported deaths, according to the United Nations.
This chaos has also affected international peacekeeping teams, like the Kenyan officers who are part of a program to support Haiti.
On February 23, a Kenyan officer was injured during an operation in a place called Artibonite. He was taken to a hospital but sadly died from his injuries.
Another Kenyan officer was shot and killed on March 25 in an area called Lower Artibonite, but his body has not been found yet.
A video showing the officer lying still went viral, but the National Police Service has not officially confirmed that he is dead.
The situation in Haiti is very tense, with armed gangs still in control and international forces struggling to bring back order.
Despite Barbecue’s claims of wanting peace for his country, many are worried about his actions.