The United States Treasury Department on Tuesday, announced sanctions against former Haitian President Michel Martelly for his involvement in drug trafficking, including cocaine destined for the US.
Martelly who is a former musician served as president of the Caribbean nation between 2011 and 2016 when he “abused his influence to facilitate the trafficking of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, destined for the United States,” the US Treasury said in a statement.
The US department also said he was also involved in the “laundering of illicit drug proceeds,” working with local drug traffickers and sponsoring multiple Haiti-based gangs.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas has long been rocked by gang violence, but its conditions sharply worsened in February when armed groups forced the resignation of then-prime minister Ariel Henry.
Criminal groups control some 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, with residents saying they have faced threats of murder, rape and kidnapping for ransom.
Hundreds of police officers from Kenya have been deployed to Haiti as part of an international effort to bring stability to the country riven by political, social and economic chaos.
“Today’s action against Martelly emphasises the significant and destabilising role he and other corrupt political elites have played in perpetuating the ongoing crisis in Haiti,” said Bradley Smith, the Treasury’s acting under secretary for terrorism and financial intelligence.
“It is unacceptable for Haitian political and economic elites to plunder Haiti’s future,” US State Department’s deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement.
He added that the action taken on Tuesday demonstrates the US’ “unwavering resolve to promote accountability for all individuals whose activities contribute to gang violence and destabilise the political environment in Haiti, regardless of their rank or stature.”
The actions taken by Washington echo similar moves from the Canadian government which imposed sanctions against Martelly and two ex-prime ministers in 2022, accusing them of profiting from armed gangs.
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