US sanctions ex-Haiti president Martelly for drug trafficking
The Peninsula
Washington: The US Treasury Department unveiled sanctions against former Haitian president Michel Martelly on Tuesday for trafficking drugs, including...
Washington: The US Treasury Department unveiled sanctions against former Haitian president Michel Martelly on Tuesday for trafficking drugs, including cocaine, destined for the United States.
The actions taken by Washington echo similar moves from the Canadian government, which imposed sanctions in 2022 against Martelly and two ex-prime ministers, accusing them of profiting from armed gangs.
Martelly, a former musician who served as president of the Caribbean nation between 2011 and 2016, "abused his influence to facilitate the trafficking of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, destined for the United States," the US Treasury said in a statement.
He was also involved in "laundering of illicit drug proceeds," working with local drug traffickers and sponsoring multiple Haiti-based gangs, the statement added.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has long been rocked by gang violence, but conditions sharply worsened in February, when armed groups forced the resignation of then-prime minister Ariel Henry.
