UN freezes assets, bans travel of Haiti gang leaders with new sanctions
The United Nations Security Council has officially imposed sanctions on two of Haiti’s most violent armed gangs, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, freezing their assets and enforcing a global travel ban on their leaders.
This decision follows the United States' designation of the groups as foreign and global terrorist organisations on May 2, 2025. The sanctions, approved on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, place both criminal organisations on the UN’s list of entities subject to punitive measures under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, Alter Presse reports.
Viv Ansanm, led by gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, and Gran Grif, led by Luckson Elan, have been central to a wave of violence that has destabilised much of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. The latest update to the UN Sanctions List 2653, which now includes seven individuals and two entities.
“These sanctions close the door to all possibilities of negotiations with these thugs. They must be eliminated. This is my conviction,” said Haitian political figure Michel André.
The U.S. Department of State previously warned that any individuals or organisations providing material support to these gangs could face criminal prosecution and possible expulsion or entry bans. It also emphasised that all assets and interests of the designated entities within U.S. jurisdiction would be blocked.
“Terrorist designations expose and isolate entities and individuals, denying them access to the American financial system and the resources they need to carry out attacks,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement following the initial designation.
The UN action follows alarming findings from its Expert Group on Haiti, presented in a Security Council meeting on June 5, 2025.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
