01:34Haiti gang leader Jimmy Cherizier called for community 'dialogue' and 'peace' to help end violence in the Caribbean nation, speaking to media in Port-au-Prince on Friday.
"We have to choose a credible and consensual Haitian citizen from the diaspora to facilitate dialogue, destroy the heads of the mafias, and facilitate peace in Haiti. We want dialogue because we want to stop war. We want dialogue because we want peace," the 46-year-old former police officer said.
Footage also features Kenyan police officers, who are part of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti patrolling outside the US embassy in the capital city of Port au Prince.
The country began a state of emergency earlier this month, after gangs raided Haiti's two largest prisons, releasing thousands of inmates, and torched police stations, while clashing with law enforcement on the streets of the capital.
Gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier previously warned of 'civil war' and 'genocide' in the country unless Henry stepped aside.
According to media reports, the country has seen a huge influx of illegal weapons from Florida, Texas and Georgia, with the UN estimating that half a million both legal and illegal firearms were in Haiti in 2020.
The latest escalation came after the PM failed to resign as agreed under a cross-party deal dating back to December 2022, which was to see elections and a handover of power on February 7. He took control of the country following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. Around 4,700 were reported killed in violence across the country last year.
Haiti gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier calls for 'dialogue', 'peace' as Kenyan troops arrive in country
Haiti gang leader Jimmy Cherizier called for community 'dialogue' and 'peace' to help end violence in the Caribbean nation, speaking to media in Port-au-Prince on Friday.
"We have to choose a credible and consensual Haitian citizen from the diaspora to facilitate dialogue, destroy the heads of the mafias, and facilitate peace in Haiti. We want dialogue because we want to stop war. We want dialogue because we want peace," the 46-year-old former police officer said.
Footage also features Kenyan police officers, who are part of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti patrolling outside the US embassy in the capital city of Port au Prince.
The country began a state of emergency earlier this month, after gangs raided Haiti's two largest prisons, releasing thousands of inmates, and torched police stations, while clashing with law enforcement on the streets of the capital.
Gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier previously warned of 'civil war' and 'genocide' in the country unless Henry stepped aside.
According to media reports, the country has seen a huge influx of illegal weapons from Florida, Texas and Georgia, with the UN estimating that half a million both legal and illegal firearms were in Haiti in 2020.
The latest escalation came after the PM failed to resign as agreed under a cross-party deal dating back to December 2022, which was to see elections and a handover of power on February 7. He took control of the country following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. Around 4,700 were reported killed in violence across the country last year.
Haiti gang leader Jimmy Cherizier called for community 'dialogue' and 'peace' to help end violence in the Caribbean nation, speaking to media in Port-au-Prince on Friday.
"We have to choose a credible and consensual Haitian citizen from the diaspora to facilitate dialogue, destroy the heads of the mafias, and facilitate peace in Haiti. We want dialogue because we want to stop war. We want dialogue because we want peace," the 46-year-old former police officer said.
Footage also features Kenyan police officers, who are part of the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti patrolling outside the US embassy in the capital city of Port au Prince.
The country began a state of emergency earlier this month, after gangs raided Haiti's two largest prisons, releasing thousands of inmates, and torched police stations, while clashing with law enforcement on the streets of the capital.
Gang leader Jimmy 'Barbecue' Cherizier previously warned of 'civil war' and 'genocide' in the country unless Henry stepped aside.
According to media reports, the country has seen a huge influx of illegal weapons from Florida, Texas and Georgia, with the UN estimating that half a million both legal and illegal firearms were in Haiti in 2020.
The latest escalation came after the PM failed to resign as agreed under a cross-party deal dating back to December 2022, which was to see elections and a handover of power on February 7. He took control of the country following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021. Around 4,700 were reported killed in violence across the country last year.