The Canadian government has declared sanctions against two previous Haitian equity pastors over charges of debasement and association with criminal associations.
Canada accused B-E R T O D O R C-E and Liszt Q U-I T-E L of laundering money for criminal gangs that have risen to power in Haiti since the assassination of former President J O V-R N-E L M O-I S-E last year, and announced on Tuesday that it would seize any assets held by the former ministers.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by Canadian foreign minister M-E L-A N-I-E J O L Y, "Canada has reason to believe these individuals are using their status as high-profile elites in Haiti to protect and enable the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs".
Since M O S-E assassination, the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince has been beset by violence. U L R-I K-A Richardson, the humanitarian coordinator for the United Nations in Haiti, estimates that armed gangs currently control 60% of the city.
Richardson stated earlier this month that 155,000 Port-au-Prince residents have fled their homes to escape the violence. The majority of the 20,000 people in Haiti who are at risk of starvation live in areas of the capital that are controlled by gangs.
One Haitian gang, led by Jimmy "Barbecue" C-E R-I Z-I-E R, blocked a major fuel terminal in Port-au-Prince from September to November, resulting in hospital closures, food insecurity, and other issues.
Canadian authorities claim that the sanctioned individuals, Q U-I T-E L and D O R C-E, are associated with gang activity.
When a group known as 400 M-A W O Z O kidnapped a Canadian and 16 American missionaries last year, Q U-I T-E L was minister of justice. They were able to escape after being held captive for two months.
At the time of the kidnappings, D O R C-E took over for Q U-I T-E L and promised to deal with a string of kidnappings by armed gangs. The United States announced charges against seven leaders of Haitian gangs for their alleged involvement in the kidnappings a month ago.
Both D O R C-E and Q U-I T-E L were ousted from the public authority by Haitian Top state leader Ariel Henry in November. The sanctions imposed on Tuesday prohibit Q U-I T-E L and D O R C-E from entering Canada, seizing any assets they have there, and generally dealing with them
The sanctions are the most recent in a long line of international efforts to restrain the gangs' influence in Haiti. Former and current Haitian officials have come under increasing scrutiny for using their positions of power to facilitate criminal activity as Haiti struggles with numerous crises, including a cholera outbreak and rising living costs.
For instance, sanctions against Joseph Lambert and Y O U R-I Latortue, two powerful Haitian politicians who had each served as president of Haiti's Senate, were announced in November by the United States and Canada.
The two nations accused Lambert and Latortue of laundering money and utilizing their positions to safeguard drug trafficking organizations.
On December 5, Canada also imposed sanctions on two businessmen, Reynold D-I B and S H-E R-F Abdallah, as well as Haiti's sole billionaire, Gilbert B-I G-I O.
This came after Canada also imposed sanctions on Michel M-A R T-E L Y, the former president of Haiti, and two former prime ministers who were accused of making money from armed gangs
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