Haitian ex-president Martelly hit with US sanctions, accused of aiding and abetting drug trafficking

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States imposed sanctions on former Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly on Tuesday, accusing him of abusing his influence to facilitate drug smuggling into the United States and supporting gangs that contributed to instability in the Caribbean country.

Bradley T. Smith, assistant secretary of the Treasury for terrorism and financial intelligence, said the move “underscores the significant and destabilizing role he and other corrupt political elites have played in perpetuating the ongoing crisis in Haiti.”

Haiti is plagued by gang violence, while peaceful protesters are tear gas by the police, calling on law enforcement to help them stop the gangs that violent seizure of control of neighborhoods.

Hundreds of police officers from Kenya have arrived Haiti for a United Nations-supported mission under the leadership of the East African country to put an end to the gangs.

A United Nations report of July reports that in Haiti, more than 300,000 children have been displaced from their homes since March due to gang violence. Many of them are living in makeshift shelters, including schools with poor sanitation conditions, putting them at risk of disease.

Martelly, who served as president from 2011 to 2016, was already sanctioned by the Canadian government in November 2022 for financing gangs.

In January, a Haitian judge issued an arrest warrant against Martelly and over 30 other high-ranking officials are accused of government corruption, particularly embezzlement of funds or equipment related to Haiti's National Equipment Center.

U.S. State Department official Vedant Patel said Tuesday's sanctions were intended to “promote accountability of all individuals whose activities contribute to gang violence and destabilize the political environment in Haiti, regardless of their rank or position.”

The USA uses a Implementing Regulation of December 2021 in relation to foreigners involved in drug trafficking than its power to impose sanctions.

Martelly could not be reached for comment.