US sanctions former Haitian president over alleged drug trafficking

The United States has imposed sanctions on Haiti’s former President Michel Joseph Martelly over alleged drug trafficking, accusing him of playing a significant role in perpetuating the continuing crisis in the country.

The US Department of the Treasury, in a statement on Tuesday, said Martelly “abused his influence to facilitate the trafficking of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, destined for the United States”.

The department said Martelly, who served as president of the Caribbean nation between 2011 and 2016, also worked with Haitian drug traffickers, sponsored multiple gangs and engaged in the laundering of illicit drug proceeds.

“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,” Treasury Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Bradley Smith said in the statement.

“The United States, along with our international partners, is committed to disrupting those who facilitate the drug trafficking, corruption, and other illicit activities fueling the horrific gang violence and political instability.”

Tuesday’s action freezes any of Martelly’s US assets and generally bars Americans from dealing with him. It echoes similar moves from the Canadian government, which imposed sanctions in 2022 against Martelly and two other former prime ministers, accusing them of profiting from armed gangs.

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.

Criminal groups control some 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince, with residents saying they have faced the threat of murder, rape and kidnapping for ransom.

Hundreds of police officers from Kenya have been deployed to Haiti, part of an international effort to bring stability to the country riven by political, social and economic chaos.

Gang wars have displaced more than 578,000 Haitians, while nearly 5 million – almost half the population of 11.7 million – are facing acute hunger, with 1.6 million of those people at risk of starvation, the United Nations says.