In a significant development for Haiti’s law enforcement, police in Port-au-Prince have arrested Prophane Victor, a former legislator long accused of arming gangs and sanctioned by both the U.S. and Canada for his alleged role in fueling gang violence.
Victor, who previously served as a member of Parliament representing the Petite Rivière community in Haiti’s Artibonite region, was detained on Sunday. The Haitian National Police confirmed the arrest in a statement but did not clarify whether Victor has legal representation.
Victor’s arrest is a notable achievement in a nation where powerful political figures implicated in violence and gang activities often evade justice. Police said the former legislator had been repeatedly accused by a former gang leader of collaborating with criminal groups in Artibonite, particularly in the community of Savien.
According to a 2022 United Nations report, Victor began arming young men in Petite Rivière to bolster his 2016 election campaign. Those men later formed Gran Grif, now the largest gang in the Artibonite region. The U.N. report stated that Victor’s relationship with Gran Grif deteriorated in 2020 over unmet political promises, leading to allegations that he supported rival gangs.
Victor has faced mounting scrutiny from the international community. In June 2023, Canada sanctioned him, followed by the United States in September 2024. The U.S. State Department accused Victor of supporting Haitian gangs that have committed severe human rights abuses, including violence targeting civilians and obstructing humanitarian aid.
“The United States is today sanctioning a former member of Haiti’s parliament, Prophane Victor, for his role in forming, supporting, and arming gangs that have committed serious human rights abuse,” the U.S. State Department said in a September 2024 statement. It also highlighted Victor and Gran Grif leader Luckson Elan as central figures in Haiti’s ongoing crisis.
The U.N. Panel of Experts noted that gang violence in Haiti has reached unprecedented levels, with indiscriminate attacks, sexual violence, and humanitarian aid blockades creating widespread suffering. The Gran Grif gang has been linked to some of the most heinous crimes, including an October 2024 massacre in Pont-Sondé that claimed dozens of lives.
Prophane Victor’s arrest represents a rare moment of accountability in a country struggling to combat escalating violence and impunity among its political elite. As Haiti continues to grapple with its security crisis, the arrest may serve as a crucial step toward restoring the rule of law.
