The Canadian government on Tuesday imposed new sanctions on two former Haitian ministers accused of alleged corruption and protection of criminal gangs.
Sanctions against Berto Dorce and Liszt Quitel, who resigned from the Haitian government in November, freeze any assets they may have in Canada, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly said in a written statement reported by the news agency. Reuters.
Quitel was justice minister and interior minister when Haitian authorities were negotiating the release of US and Canadian missionaries kidnapped by gangs in 2021, an incident that garnered global attention.
Dorce then became justice minister and came under scrutiny in July when one of his aides was implicated in arms trafficking, a major problem for Haiti given the power of the gangs.
“Canada has reason to believe that these individuals are using their high-profile elite status in Haiti to protect and enable the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs, including through money laundering and other acts of corruption,” said the Minister Melanie Joly.
In September, members of Congress called for sanctions against politicians and oligarchs who fund Haitian gangs, in response to the gangs blockade of a fuel terminal for nearly six weeks.
But since then, Canada has taken the lead in sanctioning Haitians accused of gang ties, appointing a former president and two former primes ministers, as well as three high-profile businessmen.
“Canada is ramping up its pressure by imposing anti-corruption sanctions against Haitian elites so we can help the people of Haiti emerge from this crisis and restore peace and security to their country,” Joly said.
“Anti-corruption sanctions not only freeze any assets gang members and their supporters may have in Canada, but also prevent them from entering our country,” he said.
The Canadian government said Dorce and Quitel are accused of “protecting and enabling the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs” through money laundering and other means of corruption.
