Jimmy Barbecue Cherizier leader of Viv Ansanm, a group of armed non-state actors or irregulars starting the next Haitian revolution.
By Chris Martin, Martin Group International LLC An Irregular Warfare Consulting Firm, My 4, 2026
There have been instances in history where non-state armed groups have transformed their violent tactics into successful political parties. In some countries, their leaders have even become heads of state. In this article, we will explore a list of such countries, and their leaders who were previously part of non-state armed groups. One such example is Haiti's Viv Ansanm who seems to be following this pattern. Let's begin with Israel.
The Irgun was a Jewish terrorist/guerrilla organization that was responsible for removing the British Mandate and the Palestinians from Palestine before it became Israel. The Irgun was responsible for many mass murders and terrorist attacks in Palestine. The Irgun made a way for Israel to become a country. It was through violence and terrorism, that Israel became the country it is today. Menachem Begin who was the leader of the Irgun later became the sixth Prime minister of Israel. His book “ The Revolt” explains how he was a "terrorist' and loved being one. Once Israel became a state, the Irgun military wing was absorbed into the Israeli Defense Force, and the political wing was first called the Irgun, then Herut, and currently the Likud party. The political party that is in power in Israel today. As the Likud Party's predecessor the Irgun was a guerrilla/terrorist organization.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization was a political organization that opposed Israel from the 1950s to the 1990s. Its leader, Yasser Arafat, carried out terrorist attacks both within Israel and abroad. Over time, Arafat became the leader of Palestine and Gaza, and the PLO transformed into the Fatah Party, which had both a military and a political wing. The military wing of Fatah was called Black September and used terrorism as a means to achieve their goal of gaining independence from Israel and changing the landscape of Palestine.
The African National Congress (ANC) was established in 1912 under the name South African Native National Congress, which was later changed to ANC in 1923. The main objective of the ANC was to fight against the apartheid system and discrimination in South Africa. In 1960, the ANC resorted to guerrilla/terrorist tactics to gain freedom from the oppressive regime of the minority-controlled white government of South Africa. Nelson Mandela, who led this armed non-state actor group, was inspired by Begin's book, "The Revolt," to use violence and terrorism to win freedom. However, he was eventually caught and sentenced to 27 years in prison. In 1990, Mandela was released from prison and worked with President FW De Klerk to abolish the apartheid system and free blacks from its oppression. Mandela was later elected as the first black President of South Africa in 1994.
Viv Ansanm We All Live Together is an armed non-state actor group from Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital city, founded in 2023 by the leader Jimmy "Bar-B-Que" Cherizier. The group known as Viv a Som aims to establish stability in the country through a revolution.
Currently, the political leaders of Haiti are refusing to engage in dialogue with the leaders of Viv Ansanm. Although the leaders of the armed non-state actor group have stated that they will lay down their arms if dialogue occurs and a resolution can be achieved. The Haitian government, the United States government, and the international community are unwilling to talk with the group's leadership. Instead, they plan to bring in a United Nations security force composed of multiple countries to defeat the armed non-state actors or irregulars.
In situations where the Haitian government and the international community are unable to achieve their goals, armed non-state actors (such as Viv Ansanm) may resort to violence and terrorism to establish stability when dialogue fails or is not an option.
In conclusion, history has shown that armed non-state actors utilizing guerrilla or terrorist tactics have been successful. Groups like the Irgun, the PLO, and the ANC have transitioned into political parties and have even produced heads of state in their respective countries. It's clear, that Viv Ansanm is following the pattern.
Posted July 28, 2026