August 12, 2025

The United States just set fire to the underworld in Haiti — and this time, the smoke might finally flush out the man many call the most feared in the Caribbean.

On Tuesday, the U.S. government slapped a $5 million bounty on the head of Jimmy “Barbeque” Chérizier, the ex-police officer turned gang boss accused of orchestrating massacres, torching neighborhoods, and strangling Haiti’s capital into chaos. This isn’t just a headline — it’s a full-blown game-changer.

That kind of cash — offered under the State Department’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program — is enough to turn the country’s entire population, more than 11 million people, into potential informants overnight. Add the millions in the Haitian diaspora, and Chérizier isn’t just wanted. He’s surrounded.

The Number That Changes Everything

Five million U.S. dollars today equals about 655 million Haitian Gourdes. In a country where many scrape by on less than $5 a day, that’s not just life-changing — it’s life-defining. It’s enough to rebuild homes, put generations through school, or buy a one-way ticket far from the gunfire.

In a place where trust is scarce and survival is everything, that figure is more than tempting — it’s irresistible. For Chérizier, it means every friend could be a future informant, and every loyalist might be calculating the cost of staying loyal.

‘We Will Find Them’ — Jeanine Pirro, U.S. Attorney

Jeanine “Judge Jeanine” Pirro, the U.S. Attorney, set the tone with fire in her voice.                                                                                                                                          “This indictment is the first of its kind,” she announced. “Jimmy Chérizier, also known as ‘Barbeque,’ is a notorious gang leader from Haiti who has orchestrated and committed various acts of violence against Haitians, including the 2018 La Saline attack in which approximately 71 people were killed. He both planned and participated in that massacre.

“Anyone who is giving money to ‘Barbeque’ cannot say, ‘I didn’t know.’ They will be prosecuted, and we will find them. They are supporting an individual who is committing human rights abuses, and we will not look the other way.”

Pirro wasn’t just going after Chérizier. She was sending a warning to the Haitian diaspora accused of feeding his war chest from abroad: the days of claiming ignorance are over.

‘No Safe Haven’ — Darren Cox, FBI

Then came Darren Cox, Deputy Assistant Director of the FBI, delivering the muscle of America’s most powerful investigative force.                                                                                                                                                                                                                “There is no safe haven for Chérizier and his network,” Cox declared. “We are closing every link, every cell.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Since January, he said, the FBI has arrested three Top Ten fugitives, taken more than 19,000 criminals off the streets, and seized thousands of tons of narcotics — enough to save millions of lives across the U.S.

The FBI’s Miami and Houston offices have already bagged one of Chérizier’s Viv Ansanm associates inside the United States without firing a shot. “These efforts are a deliberate and coordinated plan,” Cox said, “to protect our communities and confront escalating threats from terrorist organizations like Viv Ansanm.”

‘Three-Year Investigation’ — Ivan Arvelo, HSI

Ivan Arvelo, Assistant Director of Homeland Security Investigations, brought the receipts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    “This is the result of a three-year investigation into Chérizier’s procurement networks, cash pipelines, and operational financing that violates sanctions,” he explained.                                                                                                                                                     Arvelo described 400 structures destroyed, entire communities erased, and a gang exploiting U.S. dollars, technology, and immigration loopholes to keep its killing machine running. “We tracked how Americans unwittingly bankrolled brutality,” he said — proof that the net is tightening both inside Haiti and abroad.

‘The Worst of the Worst’ — Chris Lambert, State Department

Chris Lambert, representing the State Department’s International Affairs division, gave the political bottom line.

“Mass violence in Haiti must end,” Lambert said. “The instability resulting from Chérizier’s actions fuels illegal migration, regional instability, and transnational crime. We will continue to apply every tool available — including our rewards programs — to stop the spread of unchecked violence, especially to target the worst of the worst criminal leaders threatening the people of our hemisphere.”

Lambert confirmed what many have long known: Chérizier is not just a gang leader. He commands Viv Ansanm, officially designated in May as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. In the eyes of the U.S., that makes him not just Haiti’s problem — but everyone’s.

Why Haitians May Not Resist

In Haiti, money talks — loudly. And when you put 655 million Gourdes on the table, it shouts.

That’s the kind of figure that turns casual acquaintances into informants and makes even the most hardened loyalist wonder if the payout is worth more than the risk. It’s not a matter of “if” word gets out, it’s a matter of “who will be first to collect.”

For grieving families, it’s a chance at justice. For the desperate, it’s a chance at survival. For Haiti as a whole, it’s hope — wrapped in the most dangerous of temptations.

An Answer to Prayers

For years, Haiti’s headlines have been a scroll of horrors — kidnappings, executions, burned neighborhoods, bodies in the streets. Chérizier’s name has been attached to too many of them.

This move by the U.S. isn’t just strategy. It’s personal. It’s a signal to every Haitian — at home or abroad — that the days of impunity could be ending.

I’ll admit it: when I heard the news, I danced, I sang, and I nearly cried. Not because $5 million is a lot of money, but because of what it means — the possibility, at last, of stopping the man accused of helping turn Haiti into hell on earth.

Four officials, four angles, one mission: Pirro’s fire, Cox’s grit, Arvelo’s precision, Lambert’s conviction. Together, they’ve put the heat on “Barbeque” like never before.

BBQ is cooked. The only question now is: which one of over 11 million potential informants will serve him up?

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

August 8, 2025

The dreaded chikungunya virus is making headlines again, with a major outbreak reported in southern China and travel-related cases on the rise in the United States. While there are no confirmed cases in The Bahamas or Turks and Caicos Islands at this time, public health officials say the risk of re-emergence is real—and the Caribbean remembers just how bad it can get.

In Guangdong Province, China, more than 7,000 cases of chikungunya have been confirmed since June. Chinese authorities are using insecticide fogging, drones, mosquito-eating fish, and even hospital bed nets to contain the virus. Residents who fail to control mosquito breeding are facing fines or power shut offs as part of a strict government crackdown.

Meanwhile, in the United States, health officials have confirmed 199 travel-related cases in 2024 and more already this year. States like Florida, Texas, and Louisiana are considered high risk due to the presence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which carries the virus.

That same mosquito is also found throughout the Caribbean—including Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, The Bahamas, and Turks and Caicos.

In 2014, chikungunya hit the Caribbean hard. Jamaica was especially overwhelmed, with thousands falling ill in just weeks. The outbreak caused schools and businesses to close and stretched healthcare systems to the limit. Other islands like Haiti, Dominican Republic, Martinique, and Guadeloupe also reported widespread infections.

The virus is known for sudden high fever, severe joint pain, and long-lasting fatigue. There is still no vaccine or specific treatment—only prevention and symptom relief.                                                                                                                                                                                                With regular flights between Jamaica and The Bahamas, and between Jamaica and Turks and Caicos, regional health officials are being urged to monitor the situation closely.

It’s not here… yet. But it could be.

Chikungunya may not currently be circulating in our islands, but the uptick abroad is a warning. The virus is spreading again. The mosquito is still here. And the conditions for an outbreak remain.

Health experts recommend:

• Eliminating standing water
• Wearing insect repellent
• Using mosquito nets and screens
• Seeking medical attention for fever and joint pain after travel

The message is clear: stay vigilant. We’ve been through this before—and we don’t want to go through it again.

By Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

August 8, 2025 – Caribbean travelers can breathe a sigh of relief—for now.

Despite growing global concern over the U.S. Department of State’s new visa bond requirement, no Caribbean countries are included in the initial rollout of the pilot program, which requires certain visa applicants to post refundable bonds of up to $15,000.

The bond initiative, set to begin later this month, currently applies only to nationals from Malawi and Zambia, according to official U.S. government releases. The program targets travelers from countries with high visa overstay rates or lax screening protocols, particularly those offering citizenship-by-investment without residency.

“The Caribbean is not currently affected,” confirmed U.S. consular sources. “But this is a pilot, not a permanent exclusion. Additional countries may be added based on future risk assessments.”

The confirmation comes as a welcome development for Caribbean nations with strong U.S. travel corridors—such as The Bahamas, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago—especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching and regional fans already preparing to travel.

How the Visa Bond Program Works

Under the new rules, certain B-1 (business) and B-2 (tourist) visa applicants will be required to post a $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000 bond, which is fully refundable if the traveler abides by all visa conditions. If the visitor overstays or violates terms, the bond is forfeited.

U.S. consular officers will determine who is subject to the bond and at what amount. A separate $250 “visa integrity fee” is also being prepared for most nonimmigrant visa categories—potentially refundable upon compliance.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Though not officially linked, the timing of the rollout ahead of the 2026 World Cup has sparked speculation that the policy is a preemptive measure to prevent visa overstays during the global event, which is expected to draw millions of fans and participants.

Criticism Mounts

Rights advocates and tourism experts have criticized the policy, calling it discriminatory and economically exclusionary, especially for visitors from low-income or politically unstable regions.

“This is a wealth test disguised as immigration control,” one critic argued. “It’s going to lock out people with legitimate reasons to visit the U.S.”

But U.S. officials say the pilot is not about punishment—it’s about prevention. Global sporting events have a track record of participants and fans disappearing during or after travel, often due to conflict, economic hardship, or political pressure in their home countries.

“Entire delegations have gone missing before,” said a senior U.S. security source. “This isn’t about hostility—it’s about preparedness.”

Why This Still Matters for the Region

While the Caribbean is not on the list, citizenship-by-investment programs and rising migration concerns in some regional nations mean future inclusion isn’t off the table. Caribbean governments, travel agencies, and families are watching closely.

For now, Caribbean travelers are spared the extra cost—but the message is clear: compliance and transparency will be key in maintaining access.

The bond may not be ours to pay today, but the spotlight is definitely on.