The U.S. has designated the Viv Ansanm gang coalition in Haiti as a foreign terrorist organization, heightening concerns about worsening the country's humanitarian crisis. The coalition, controlling 85% of Port-au-Prince, forces aid groups to negotiate for access to essential resources, complicating humanitarian efforts. The designation risks functioning as a de facto embargo on Haiti, potentially escalating the existing crisis of hunger and homelessness. Gang violence has surged, with significant casualties and territorial expansions, notably by Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, causing massive displacement and economic disruption. Experts warn that the designation alone is insufficient without measures to address the underlying issues, such as the flow of arms from the U.S. and the dysfunction of Haiti's judicial system.

The U.S. has labeled the Viv Ansanm coalition as a foreign terrorist organization, a move likely to intensify Haiti's humanitarian crisis due to the coalition's influence over the capital, Port-au-Prince.

Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, with significant territorial control, complicate humanitarian efforts as aid groups must negotiate with them to deliver essential supplies, which could lead to a de facto embargo.

Haiti faces record hunger levels, with over half of its population expected to experience severe hunger, exacerbated by gang control over critical infrastructure and commerce, raising the risk for businesses operating there.

The surge in gang violence has resulted in over 1,600 deaths and massive displacements, with gangs aggressively expanding their territories, notably affecting peaceful communities and key infrastructure such as police stations and prisons.

The designation of these gangs as a terrorist organization is criticized for being insufficient without addressing the root causes, including the smuggling of firearms from the U.S. and the near-collapse of Haiti's judicial system.

Despite efforts by the U.N. and the Haitian police, the gangs continue to exert substantial control, with recent attacks causing the resignation of the former Prime Minister and forcing the closure of major infrastructure.

Experts emphasize the need for a comprehensive approach that includes building capacity to arrest gang leaders and shutting down the networks that supply them with arms, rather than relying solely on designations and sanctions.