US imposes sanctions on former Haitian president over alleged drug trafficking

According to the US Treasury Department, Michel Joseph Martelly “abused his influence” to facilitate drug trafficking into the US.

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

The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement Tuesday that Martelly “abused his influence to facilitate the trafficking of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, into the United States.”

According to the ministry, Martelly, who was president of the Caribbean country between 2011 and 2016, also collaborated with Haitian drug traffickers, sponsored several gangs and was involved in laundering proceeds from illegal drug trafficking.

“Today’s action against Martelly underscores the significant and destabilizing role he and other corrupt political elites have played in perpetuating the ongoing crisis in Haiti,” Bradley Smith, acting undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, said in the statement.

“The United States, together with our international partners, is committed to thwarting those who facilitate drug trafficking, corruption, and other illegal activities that fuel horrific gang violence and political instability.”

Tuesday’s action freezes all of Martelly’s U.S. assets and generally bans Americans from doing business with him. It echoes similar moves by the Canadian government, which in 2022 imposed sanctions on Martelly and two other former prime ministers, accusing them of profiting from armed gangs.

Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has long struggled with gang violence. In February, however, conditions worsened significantly when armed groups forced then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign.

Criminal gangs control about 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and residents say they are dealing with 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 struggling with political, social and economic chaos.

Gang warfare has displaced more than 578,000 Haitians, while nearly 5 million people – almost half the population of 11.7 million – face acute hunger, with 1.6 million at risk of starvation, the United Nations said.