\n<\/p>\n
A powerful alliance of armed gangs that has plunged Haiti into violence and launched attacks against state institutions was designated<\/a> on Friday as a terrorist group by the Trump administration.<\/p>\n The move is likely to worsen an already dire humanitarian crisis in Haiti, experts said, since gangs control much of the country\u2019s economy and infrastructure, including ports and major roads, and extort businesses and the local population.<\/p>\n President Trump\u2019s designation gives the U.S. broad power to impose economic penalties on the criminal groups, and potentially even to take military action. But it also allows sanctions to be imposed on anyone whom the United States accuses of having dealings with the gangs.<\/p>\n \u201cThe age of impunity for those supporting violence in Haiti is over,\u2019\u2019 Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a social media post.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Depending on how it is enforced, the declaration could end nearly all trade with Haiti, some experts say, since virtually no goods can move in or out of the capital, Port-au-Prince, without the payment of fees to the gangs, which control much of the city.<\/p>\n The coalition of gangs, called Viv Ansanm \u2014 \u201cLiving Together\u201d in Haitian Creole \u2014 formed in 2023 and pledged to protect civilians, but then immediately launched attacks against communities<\/a>, prisons<\/a>, hospitals<\/a> and police stations<\/a>.<\/p>\n The gangs also forced former Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign<\/a> after he could not return to the country because of security concerns.<\/p>\n Some gangs, which under Mr. Trump\u2019s designation are now considered transnational terrorist organizations, have spread beyond Haiti, establishing gun smuggling ties<\/a> to Florida and the Dominican Republic.<\/p>\n