August 1, 2026
On July 15, 2025, the European Union imposed targeted sanctions on three influential figures of Haiti’s armed violence: Micanor Altès (of Wharf Jérémie), Christ-Roi Chéry (of Ti Bwa), and Jeff Larose (of Canaan). Their assets have been frozen, and they are now banned from entering the European Union.
This action comes under an autonomous EU sanctions framework adopted in response to widespread human rights violations in Haiti, complementing the United Nations Security Council’s measures in place since 2022. The aim is to limit the operational capacity of Haiti’s most notorious gang leaders.
Micanor Altès is particularly implicated in a massacre carried out in December 2024, where more than 200 elderly individuals were killed in Wharf Jérémie. Christ-Roi Chéry is accused of orchestrating murders, sexual violence, extortion, and the recruitment of child soldiers in the commune of Carrefour.
Jeff Larose stands accused of imposing daily terror in the Canaan area, including kidnappings, trafficking, violent evictions, and sexual assaults. His growing influence poses a direct threat to thousands of displaced families.
However, a recent UN report warns that despite the growing number of sanctions, criminal networks in Haiti continue to thrive, fueled by an unchecked flow of illegal arms that still evades international control mechanisms.
