US imposes sanctions on former Haitian President Martelly over drug trafficking allegations

By Michael Rios, CNN

(CNN) — The United States has sanctioned former Haitian President Michel Martelly over alleged drug trafficking, accusing him of fueling ongoing violence and instability in the Caribbean country.

The US Treasury Department claims that Martelly abused his influence to facilitate drug trafficking into the U.S. It also accuses him of laundering illegal drug proceeds, collaborating with Haitian drug traffickers and sponsoring multiple Haitian gangs.

The sanctions announced Tuesday prohibit U.S. institutions and individuals from doing financial business with Martelly.

“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,” said Bradley Smith, acting undersecretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.

U.S. State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said the move “demonstrates the United States’ unwavering commitment to promoting accountability for all individuals whose activities contribute to gang violence and destabilize the political environment in Haiti, regardless of rank or status.”

Martelly, who was president of Haiti from 2011 to 2016, was previously sanctioned by Canada on November 17, 2022, on suspicion of protecting or supporting the activities of criminal gangs.

CNN has reached out to Martelly for comment on the latest sanctions.

Martelly is the latest Haitian official to face US sanctions in recent years.

In June 2023, the U.S. sanctioned former Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe for allegedly misusing tens of millions of dollars, which he denied. In November 2022, the Treasury Department also sanctioned then-Haitian Senate President Joseph Lambert and former Haitian Senator Youri Latortue, accusing them of drug trafficking. Latortue strongly denied the allegations. At the time, Lambert did not respond to a CNN request for comment.