During an interview with the British channel Sky News, Jimmy Chérizier, head of a coalition of armed groups and gangs in Haiti, said he was ready for dialogue. While the gangs have been sowing terror in the country for months and have obtained the departure of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, this is the first time that the one who calls himself “ Barbecue” suggests such a possibility.
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Machine gun slung over his shoulder surrounded by armed and masked men… Jimmy Chérizier, says “ Barbecue », unfolds in this Sky News interview a well-rehearsed argument. But for the first time, the former police officer who presents himself as a revolutionary says he is open to negotiation: “ We are for dialogue. But the Haitian political class does not want to dialogue.”
“All she wants is to preserve the current system,” he complains. “We are ready to study all solutions as long as all Haitians have their say. We are ready to discuss with everyone because we are not proud of what is happening in the country. But the weapons will only be silent when the time comes. And until we have a seat at the negotiating table, the country will not know peace “, he said.
A table at which members of the presidential transition council must not sit, specifies Jimmy Chérizier. Since the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry on March 11, a transitional presidential council has effectively been in place at Haiti. He is notably responsible for appointing a new Prime Minister and promised, in his first press release, to restore “ public and democratic order “.
No to the multinational force
On the subject of the multinational force led by the Kenyahere again, Jimmy Chérizier displayed a “ No » categorically. “ If Kenyan police or soldiers come here, I will consider them aggressors, invaders. It is out of the question that we collaborate with invaders who want to deprive us of our independence », said the man.
The gang leader, who appears as a defender of the poor, claims that the solution must come from the Haitian people. Until this is the case, he will continue to sow chaos in his country.
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