Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier - Haiti Gang Leader | Full Interview

I interviewed Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, one of Haiti’s most powerful gang leaders, on how he sees his role in the country's future, as it spirals into chaos. Formerly a police officer, Cherizier faces international sanctions for alleged human rights abuses, with his G9 armed group implicated in civilian massacres. He's currently consolidating his position in Haiti ahead of elections and the arrival of a UN force aiming to restore security in the gang-run capital city Port-au-Prince. In the interview Cherizier claims to be a peace-maker among gangs, a patriot who has the country’s best interests at heart, and warns that any international force must heed his vision for Haiti's future, if it is to avoid hostility from him and other gangs.

This video interview is part of a long-term photographic project documenting the impact of violence in Haiti, which will be exhibited in London in June this year.