Gang Leader in Haiti Accused of Slaughtering Over 100 People in Weekend Massacre
A notorious gang leader in Haiti is accused of orchestrating a horrific massacre that killed at least 184 people over the weekend, raising the country’s death toll to 5,000 amid civil unrest.
The United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk confirmed with reporters in Geneva on Monday (Dec 9) that “At least 184 people were killed in violence orchestrated by the leader of a powerful gang in the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, in the Cite Soleil area."
This attack is part of a broader surge in gang-related violence, which has now pushed Haiti's 2024 death toll to over 5,000.
Wharf Jeremie gang leader Monel "Mikano" Felix is accused of ordering the attacks that targeted elderly residents of the impoverished Cite Soleil neighborhood.
According to the National Human Rights Defense Network (RNDDH), Felix believed elderly locals had used witchcraft to harm his child; he subsequently sought guidance from a voodoo priest.
The priest's advice led to a brutal attack on at least 100 people, all over the age of 60, who were murdered with machetes and knives over two days.
Cite Soleil has become one of the more dangerous and lawless areas in Port-au-Prince. The recent massacre comes amid widespread political instability, which has allowed gangs to control vast areas of the capital.
In response to the escalating violence, international airlines have halted flights to Haiti, with major U.S. carriers like American Airlines, Spirit, and JetBlue suspending services indefinitely after incidents involving gunfire.
