Kempes Sanon

(Date of UN designation: 2025-10-17)

Kempes Sanon has engaged in actions that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Haiti through his leadership of the Les Argentins gang, also known as the Bel Air gang, which operates from its stronghold in the Haut Bel-Air area of Port-au-Prince. With approximately 150 members, the gang has been involved in systematic human rights violations, including extortion, kidnappings, and illicit taxation. Sanon has played a significant role in consolidating gang power in Port-au-Prince, particularly through his involvement in the Viv Ansanm alliance, which has launched coordinated attacks to expand gang-controlled territories. Under his leadership, Les Argentins has conducted repeated assaults on neighborhoods like Solino, resulting in numerous casualties and the displacement of thousands of residents. Sanon also maintains a network of individuals within governmental institutions, including security agencies, which enables him to evade arrest and facilitate his criminal activities. He escaped from prison in 2021, where he was incarcerated for kidnapping, theft, and assassination, and has since continued to destabilize Haiti through his actions.

Kempes Sanon a commis des actes qui menacent la paix, la sécurité et la stabilité d'Haïti en dirigeant le gang Les Argentins, également connu sous le nom Bel Air, qui opère à partir de son fief du quartier du Haut Bel-Air à Port-au-Prince. Fort d'environ 150 membres, ce groupe est impliqué dans des violations systématiques des droits humains (extorsions, enlèvements, prélèvement de taxes illégales). Kempes Sanon a joué un rôle important dans le renforcement de l'emprise des gangs sur Port -au- Prince, notamment en participant à la coalition Viv Ansanm, qui a lancé des attaques coordonnées pour étendre les territoires contrôlés par les gangs. Sous sa direction, Les Argentins ont lancé des assauts répétés contre des quartiers comme Solino, faisant de nombreuses victimes et provoquant le déplacement de milliers de résidents. Kempes Sanon entretient également un réseau de personnes au sein des institutions gouvernementales, y compris des services de sécurité, ce qui lui évite de se faire arrêter et lui permet de mener ses activités criminelles. Incarcéré pour enlèvement, vol et assassinat, il s'est évadé de prison en 2021 et continue depuis à déstabiliser Haïti par ses actions.

Kempes Sanon, alias “Kempes”, is the leader of the Les Argentins gang (also known as the Bel Air gang), which has around 150 members. The gang’s stronghold is located in the Haut Bel-Air area of Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Kempes has been involved in various actions that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Haiti. In particular, he has engaged in systematic violations of human rights, firearms and ammunition trafficking, and supporting individuals designated by the United Nations Security Council, including Jimmy Chérizier (alias “Barbeque” - HTi.001). Kempes Sanon has been playing a significant role in the consolidation of power by gangs over Port-au-Prince. Kempes was a founding member of the G-Pèp coalition, and has been playing a key role in enabling the growing hegemony of the Viv Ansanm alliance since February 2024. In particular, Kempes and his gang, along with Barbeque, the leader of the Delmas 6 gang and spokesperson of Viv Ansanm, conducted, in the course of several months, repeated assaults against the neighbourhood of Solino. Indiscriminate attacks against civilians and fighting with local self-defence groups resulted in many casualties and thousands of people having to flee their homes as a result of the extensive violence. Kempes and his allies eventually took full control of Solino in late October 2024 and, at the time of writing, are continuing to attack the last free bastions of Port-au-Prince, including Petion Ville and Haut-Delmas. Kempes Sanon and his gang are involved in extorsion, illicit taxation and kidnappings. He has a network of people working for him within governmental institutions, including within security agencies, which allow him to avoid arrests, launder money and undertake kidnapping. Kempes Sanon is wanted by the Haitian National Police (HNP) as he escaped prison in 2021 where he was incarcerated for kidnapping, theft and assassination. In September 2022, the Dominican Republic banned Kempes from entering their territory and, on 4 March 2025, they designated the “Haut Bel-Air gang” (Les Argentins) as a terrorist organisation. In May 2025, the United States designated Viv Ansanm as a foreign terrorist organisation.

ケンペス・サノン（Kempes Sanon）は、ポルトープランスのオー・ベル・エール地区を拠点とするギャング「Les Argentins」のリーダーとして、ハイチの平和、治安、安定を脅かす活動に関与してきた。同ギャングは約150名の構成員を有し、恐喝、誘拐、違法課税を含む組織的な人権侵害に関与している。同人は、特に、ギャング連合「Viv Ansanm」同盟への関与を通じ、ポルトープランスにおけるギャング勢力の統合に重要な役割を果たしてきた。同人の指導の下、ギャング「Les Argentins」はソリノ地区等への攻撃を繰り返し、多数の死傷者と数千人の国内避難民を発生させた。同人は、治安機関を含む政府機関内に個人ネットワークを維持しており、逮捕されることなく犯罪行為を継続している。2021年には誘拐・窃盗・暗殺罪で服役中の刑務所から脱獄し、その後もハイチの不安定化を助長している。

Kempes Sanon has engaged in actions that threaten the peace, security, and stability of Haiti through his leadership of the Les Argentins gang, also known as the Bel Air gang, which operates from its stronghold in the Haut Bel-Air area of Port-au-Prince. With approximately 150 members, the gang has been involved in systematic human rights violations, including extortion, kidnappings, and illicit taxation. Sanon has played a significant role in consolidating gang power in Port-au-Prince, particularly through his involvement in the Viv Ansanm alliance, which has launched coordinated attacks to expand gang-controlled territories. Under his leadership, Les Argentins has conducted repeated assaults on neighborhoods like Solino, resulting in numerous casualties and the displacement of thousands of residents. Sanon also maintains a network of individuals within governmental institutions, including security agencies, which enables him to evade arrest and facilitate his criminal activities. He escaped from prison in 2021, where he was incarcerated for kidnapping, theft, and assassination, and has since continued to destabilize Haiti through his actions.