Canada has imposed sanctions on three Haitian individuals accused of undermining peace, security, and stability in Haiti, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly announced on Friday.
The latest sanctions, imposed under the Special Economic Measures (Haiti) Regulations, target:
- Dimitri Hérard – Former Head of Security at the National Palace
- Jeantel Joseph – Former Director General of the National Agency for Protected Areas (ANAP)
- Jeff Larose – Leader of the “Taliban” gang operating in Canaan
These individuals will be inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Their assets in Canada will be frozen, and both Canadian citizens and businesses will be prohibited from engaging in transactions with them.
“Canada remains committed to supporting Haiti and its people,” Joly stated. “We urge the international community to stand with Canada in holding accountable those who fuel violence and instability in Haiti.”
Since November 2022, Canada has imposed sanctions on 31 Haitian individuals linked to political and security crises. With these new sanctions, the total now stands at 34 individuals facing penalties under Canada’s special economic measures.
Canada has long maintained diplomatic relations with Haiti, contributing to every UN peace mission to the country over the last three decades. Its support has included financial aid, Canadian Armed Forces personnel, RCMP officers, and corrections officers.
The sanctions come as part of Canada’s broader efforts to address Haiti’s deepening humanitarian and security crisis and to work with international partners toward restoring stability in the region.
Haiti is currently grappling with a multifaceted crisis characterized by escalating gang violence, political instability, and a deteriorating humanitarian situation.
In the capital, Port-au-Prince, heavily armed gangs, notably the group Viv Ansanm, have intensified their assaults, leading to fears that the city may soon fall entirely under gang control. Approximately 60,000 people have been forcibly displaced in the past month alone due to rampant gunfire and looting. The city’s mayor has acknowledged that the government controls just 30% of Port-au-Prince, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Media outlets have also become targets. Recently, the premises of Télé Pluriel in the Delmas 19 district were vandalized and set ablaze by gangs, marking an escalation in attacks against press freedom.
