On 6 and 7 December, Micanor Altès, leader of the Wharf Jérémie gang in Cité Soleil, reportedly ordered the killing of elderly residents in Wharf Jérémie after his Voodoo priest accused them of using witchcraft to cause his child’s illness. According to Sandra Pellegrini, Analysis Coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean at ACLED, the massacre took place during a period of lull in gang rivalries within the commune but underscores the persistent vulnerability of populations living under gang control.
Sandra Pellegrini said: “The killing of at least 110 people by the Wharf Jérémie gang on 6-7 December is a stark reminder of how fragile the situation remains in Cité Soleil and in Haiti. While the area has been heavily controlled by gangs and plagued by rivalries for years—especially between members of the G-9 and G-Pèp gang coalitions—there were signs of progress in 2024.
Since September 2023, the two main factions have united under the Viv Ansanm alliance, largely to counter anti-gang operations involving police and the Multinational Security Support mission, deployed in June this year. While this alliance is likely opportunistic, it contributed to a sharp drop in deadly gang-on-gang violence and targeting of civilians, including in Cité Soleil. By July 2024, in this broader backdrop of alliances, the Brooklyn and Nan Boston gangs even agreed to a truce and removed barricades that had divided their turf, allowing residents to move more freely. Reflecting the non-aggression agreements between gangs, ACLED data shows that, prior to the massacre, fatalities stemming from gang activities in Cité Soleil in 2024 had decreased by 91% compared to the previous year.
However, the massacre in Wharf Jérémie exposes the limits of these gains. It reminds us that while fewer gang clashes and turf wars have reduced threats to civilians, residents in Cité Soleil, and other areas under gang control – still live under the constant threat of gang rule.”
Visual produced by Ana Marco
