Washington. The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions against former Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly, accused of abusing his influence to facilitate drug trafficking into the United States and sponsoring gangs that have contributed to instability in the Caribbean country.
Treasury Department Acting Under Secretary for Counterterrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley T. Smith said the move “highlights the significant and destabilizing role that he and other corrupt members of the political elite have played in perpetuating the ongoing crisis in Haiti.”
Haiti is engulfed in gang violence as peaceful protesters have been tear-gassed by police when they have called on law enforcement to help stop gangs that have violently taken over their neighborhoods.
Hundreds of Kenyan police have arrived in Haiti on a UN-backed mission led by the African country to tackle gangs.
A UN report released in July said gang violence in Haiti has displaced more than 300,000 children since March, with many living in makeshift shelters, like schools, and in poor hygiene conditions, putting them at risk of contracting diseases.
Martelly, who ruled from 2011 to 2016, was sanctioned by the Canadian government in November 2022 for financing gangs.
In January, a Haitian judge issued an arrest warrant for Martelly and 30 other senior officials on charges of government corruption, specifically embezzlement of funds or equipment related to Haiti’s National Equipment Center.
State Department official Vedant Patel said Tuesday’s sanctions are intended to “promote accountability for all individuals whose activities contribute to gang violence and destabilize the political environment in Haiti, regardless of their level or significance.”
The United States is using a 2021 executive order related to foreign nationals involved in drug trafficking as its authority to impose the sanctions.
#sanctions #Haitian #President #Martelly #facilitating #drug #trafficking
– 2024-08-22 06:12:12
