Former Haitian Senate president Youri Latortue denies allegations made against him by Canada
Key Points(5)
- In a statement, Youri Latortue, who is also a former police commissioner, said it was important for him to clear his name.
- Canada named him and the incumbent Senate President, Joseph Lambert, of engaging in criminal activities.
- “I undertake to fight these allegations of which I am the victim and will continue to support the efforts of the Ayiti An Aksyon Party to defend the interests of the country, by forcing me to modify my schedule.
- “However, I consider it my duty to announce publicly that I am already available to receive the evidence held against me.
- Years of rumors, and defamatory abuse, without any evidence, must finally be confronted for my credibility and my honor to be restored,” he added.
The former president of Haiti’s Senate, Youri Latortue, says “years of rumors, and defamatory abuse, without any evidence, must finally be confronted,” as he challenged the allegations made by Canada that he had been using his status as a previous public office holder to protect and enable the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs, including through money laundering and other acts of corruption.
In a statement, Youri Latortue, who is also a former police commissioner, said it was important for him to clear his name. Canada named him and the incumbent Senate President, Joseph Lambert, of engaging in criminal activities.
“Also, to avoid harming the operation of all commercial companies with which I am affiliated, and out of consideration for their customers, as much as my partners, I have decided, for the time of my defense, to withdraw from all commercial activities, in particular agro-industrial activities of national production, to which I devoted myself up to now,” Latortue said.
“I undertake to fight these allegations of which I am the victim and will continue to support the efforts of the Ayiti An Aksyon Party to defend the interests of the country, by forcing me to modify my schedule.
“However, I consider it my duty to announce publicly that I am already available to receive the evidence held against me. Years of rumors, and defamatory abuse, without any evidence, must finally be confronted for my credibility and my honor to be restored,” he added.
Earlier, Lambert, said he would challenge the decision of the United States and Canada for imposing sanctions against him for his alleged involvement in “significant corruption” and “gross violation of human rights”.
“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”.
Last Friday, the Biden administration announced that it was sanctioning Lambert, with US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, saying 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 last Friday, the US Department of the Treasury designated Lambert for his alleged involvement in international drug trafficking.
CMC/
