Haitian Gang Chief Lanmò Sanjou Requests U.N. Mediation Amidst Rising Violence

Wilson Joseph, the leader of the 400 Mawozo gang in Haiti, confirmed on Monday that he sent a letter to the U.N. Secretary General requesting a delegation for mediation. The group, which operates primarily in Croix-des-Bouquets near Port-au-Prince, is one of the most powerful criminal organizations in the country. Joseph, known by his alias Lanmò Sanjou, made the disclosure during the first major international media interview he has given.

In the two-page letter sent on Nov. 1, Joseph stated that he officially raised a white flag on Aug. 20. He asked for a peaceful solution to the national crisis through dialogue between the 400 Mawozo and the international forces present in Haiti. The request comes as tensions rise following the disappearance of four Salvadoran aviation technicians on Oct. 18. Joseph told the Associated Press that the technicians are dead and that the attack happened in territory controlled by a rival gang called Chen Mechan. He provided no evidence for this claim, which contradicts the position of the Salvadoran government, which believes the men are alive.

Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele deployed 2,000 troops to Haiti after the technicians vanished. These soldiers work alongside a U.N.-backed gang-suppression force, Haitian police, and Vectus Global, a private security firm founded by Erik Prince. Joseph criticized this coalition, arguing that the same politicians who armed gangs are now bringing foreign troops to destroy them. He described Bukele as having vengeful remarks and threats that fear will lead to retaliation, with the Haitian people suffering first.

Joseph expressed frustration over drone strikes that he says are killing civilians, including children and the elderly. He said he has no issue with forces arresting gang members but accused them of targeting non-combatants. In the letter, he wrote that he remains convinced dialogue must prevail over force and that protecting vulnerable families must be central to any international initiative. He declared himself officially available to receive a peace commission and said he would discuss terms for laying down guns when sitting down with mediators.

A spokesperson for the gang, who declined to be identified, accused the Haitian government of abandoning Croix-des-Bouquets. The spokesperson rejected the label of terrorist organization and described the group as young people lacking education who are being used by politicians. The gang was notably involved in the October 2021 kidnapping of 17 missionaries, including 16 Americans and one Canadian, though the spokesperson called that incident a justice measure rather than a kidnapping.

The U.S. government has placed a $1 million reward on Joseph, who was indicted in 2022 on charges of conspiracy to commit hostage taking. According to U.N. data, more than 5,700 people have been killed or injured in Haiti from January through mid-September. Joseph rejected accusations that 400 Mawozo has killed innocent Haitians, maintaining that the current violence is driven by political interests and foreign intervention.