Canada sanctions Haiti ex-president for financing gangs

Canada has sanctioned former Haitian President Michel Martelly and two former prime ministers for financing gangs, Canadian authorities said on Sunday, the latest in a series of measures targeting alleged backers of Haitian criminal groups.

In September, Haitian gangs created a humanitarian crisis by blocking a fuel terminal for nearly six weeks, halting most economic activity and triggering UN discussion of a possible foreign strike force to open the terminal, reports Reuters.

Canada and the United States have sanctioned political leaders who allegedly finance the gangs, which according to policy makers are backed by Haitian elites.

“These latest sanctions target a former president of Haiti and two former prime ministers of Haiti suspected of protecting and enabling the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs,” the office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a statement, which did not name the individuals.

Radio-Canada journalist Louis Blouin wrote on Twitter that the sanctions targeted Martelly, as well as former Haitian Prime Ministers Laurent Lamothe and Jean Henry Ceant.

Sebastien Carriere, Canada’s ambassador to Haiti, replied on Twitter with the words “I confirm.” Martelly served as president from 2011 to 2016, taking office in the wake of the devastating 2010 earthquake.

A pop singer who performed under the stage name Sweet Micky before becoming president, Martelly was strongly backed by the United States before and during his presidency, and made a living playing shows in South Florida after leaving office.