# Viv Ansanm Offensive and Prison Breaks (2024)

URL: https://allhistories.com/haiti/timeline/2024-viv-ansanm-offensive-and-prison-breaks
Location: Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Themes: battle

In late 2023 the rival G9 and G-Pèp gang federations announced an alliance, Viv Ansanm ("Living Together"), uniting most armed groups in Port-au-Prince. In February 2024 Ariel Henry, who had promised to step down that month, travelled to Kenya to sign an agreement on the deployment of the security mission. On 29 February 2024, while Henry was abroad, the gangs launched coordinated attacks on police stations, the international airport and government buildings, and Jimmy Chérizier declared that they aimed to overthrow Henry. On 2–3 March gunmen stormed the National Penitentiary in Port-au-Prince and the Croix-des-Bouquets civil prison, freeing more than 4,000 inmates. The government declared a state of emergency and curfew. Gangs attacked the National Palace area, burned police stations and the interior ministry, and the airport closed for nearly three months. Henry was unable to return to Haiti and remained in Puerto Rico. The offensive caused the collapse of the Henry government, displaced tens of thousands of people and left gangs in control of an estimated 80–90% of Port-au-Prince. It marked the transformation of the gangs into a unified armed coalition capable of challenging the state. At this point in the timeline (29 February 2024), the Council of Ministers headed by acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry was Council of Ministers (Ariel Henry) (20 July 2021 – 24 April 2024). Government: the Prime Minister of Haiti was Ariel Henry (20 July 2021 – 24 April 2024); the Acting Prime Minister of Haiti was Michel Patrick Boisvert (25 February 2024 – 3 June 2024).

## Why it matters
The March 2024 offensive brought down the Haitian government and made Viv Ansanm the dominant force in the capital.

Ruler at the Time: [Council of Ministers (Ariel Henry)](https://allhistories.com/haiti/rulers/ariel-henry-council-of-ministers)

Prime Minister of Haiti: Ariel Henry (Independent)
Acting Prime Minister of Haiti: Michel Patrick Boisvert (Independent)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Viv Ansanm](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viv_Ansanm)
- [UN News — Haiti prison break March 2024](https://news.un.org/en/search/Haiti%20prison%20break%20March%202024)
- [Reuters — Haiti](https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/)
- [Wikipedia — Earthquake, Gangs And Transition (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitian_crisis_(2018%E2%80%93present))