Fri May 02 21:05:34 UTC 2025: ## US Designates Haitian Gangs as Terrorist Organizations, Raising Concerns Over Humanitarian Aid
**Washington D.C.** – The United States has designated two powerful Haitian gangs, Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, as “foreign terrorist organizations,” a move that escalates the US response to escalating gang violence in Haiti but also raises concerns about hindering humanitarian efforts.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the gangs, responsible for widespread violence and chaos in Port-au-Prince, pose a direct threat to US national security interests. This designation follows a broader Trump administration policy of labeling Latin American criminal groups as terrorist organizations, a strategy critics argue blurs the lines between organized crime and terrorism.
The designation carries significant consequences. It prohibits US citizens from providing material support to the gangs, potentially impacting even legitimate businesses operating in areas controlled by these groups. Experts warn this could inadvertently create a de facto embargo, severely limiting humanitarian aid and economic activity in Haiti, where the gangs control significant aspects of commerce. The gangs already impose tolls for movement, and the new designation could criminalize such payments for US citizens.
The timing is particularly worrying given Haiti’s dire humanitarian crisis. Over half the population faces food insecurity, and a million people have been internally displaced by gang violence. Romain Le Cour of the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime expressed concern that the designation will severely hamper already fragile humanitarian aid efforts.
The move also comes amid a reduced US commitment to a UN-backed security mission in Haiti, led by Kenya, aimed at combating the gangs. This mission, already struggling to make a significant impact, has faced setbacks, including the death of a Kenyan police officer.
Critics argue that the “terrorist” designation, coupled with reduced US support for the security mission and attempts to curtail Haitian immigration to the US, could worsen the situation in Haiti. They point to the potential for the move to undermine cooperation with other nations working to address the crisis. The long history of problematic foreign intervention in Haiti further fuels skepticism about the effectiveness of this approach. The designation comes at a time when Haiti is facing deep political instability since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, leaving a power vacuum exploited by the gangs.
First Piper 