Three Haitian politicians have been slapped with sanctions imposed by the Canadian government.
Ottawa has accused those sanctioned of aiding gang leaders and laundering their illicit earnings.
“These individuals are using their status as current or previous public office holders to protect and enable the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs, including through money laundering and other acts of corruption,” said a government statement.
Today’s sanctions are intended to stop the flow of illicit funds and weapons and to weaken and disable Haiti’s criminal gangs,” said the statement, issued by the foreign ministry on the weekend.
The sanctions will freeze any assets held in Canada by Senator Ronny Célestin, former Senator Hervé Fourcand, and former president of the Chamber of Deputies Gary Bodeau.
Haiti’s gangs have expanded their power since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, and Prime Minister Ariel Henry has faced difficulties in restoring order to the country.
The sanctions, which implement a U.N. Security Council resolution and build on earlier actions imposed by the United States and Canada, aim to stop the illegal flow of money and weapons into Haiti that help criminal gangs
This follows sanctions imposed on president of the Senate, Joseph Lambert, for his alleged involvement in “significant corruption” and “gross violation of human rights.”
Lambert said he will challenge the decision of the United States and Canada for imposing sanctions against him for his alleged involvement.
“On November 4th, the US Treasury Department indexed me unfairly. Together with Canada, they imposed sanctions on me. I affirm that they were wrong and I will fight this unfounded decision,” Lambert said in a brief statement.
He said he had already given a mandate to an unknown law firm to pursue the matter insisting that “law and justice are put to the test between the USA, Canada and I, Joseph Lambert”.
US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, said Lambert “abused his public position by participating in corrupt activity that undermined the integrity of Haiti’s government.
“Further, there is credible information of Lambert’s involvement in a gross violation of human rights, namely an extrajudicial killing, during his government tenure,” added Blinken, adding that the State Department is also designating Lambert’s wife, Jesula Lambert Domond.
He said under this authority — Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2022 — designated officials of foreign governments and their immediate family members are “generally ineligible” for entry into the United States.
In a separate but similar action the US Department of the Treasury designated Lambert for his alleged involvement in international drug trafficking.
CMC/
