Port-au-Prince, Haiti — Authorities in Haiti have made significant progress in their fight against gang violence by apprehending a former legislator who has been implicated in arming criminal organizations within the nation’s central region. Prophane Victor, who once served as a representative for the Petite Riviere district in the Artibonite area, was taken into custody on Sunday in Port-au-Prince, as confirmed by the National Police of Haiti.

As of now, it remains unclear whether Victor has legal representation. His recent arrest is notable, considering the difficulty Haitian law enforcement faces in addressing the activities of high-profile politicians who remain unpunished for their alleged involvement in killings and support for gangs.

Authorities have stated that a former gang leader has accused Victor multiple times of collaborating with gang members in the Artibonite region, particularly in the Savien community. In addition, a United Nations report from the previous year revealed that Victor had begun arming young males in Petite Riviere to help ensure his election victory in 2016. Following this, those individuals went on to establish Gran Grif, which has become the most prominent gang in the Artibonite region.

The same report indicated that a rift developed between Victor and Gran Grif in 2020 due to unmet promises made during the election campaign. Following this fallout, authorities claimed that Victor began to support rival gangs instead.

Victor faced sanctions from Canada in June 2023, followed by similar measures from the United States in September 2024. Both countries accused him of endorsing gangs that have been responsible for severe human rights violations.

October witnessed horrendous events attributed to the Gran Grif gang, which has been linked to the deaths of numerous individuals in one of the largest massacres in Haiti’s recent past. This tragic incident took place in the community of Pont-Sonde, also situated in the Artibonite region.