US sanctions Haiti's ex-president Martelly, citing drug trafficking

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Haiti's former president, Michel Joseph Martelly, over drug trafficking allegations, accusing him of playing a significant role in perpetuating the ongoing crisis in the country.

"Martelly abused his influence to facilitate drug trafficking and has sponsored multiple Haiti-based gangs," State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a press statement.

Martelly, 63, served as president from 2011 to 2016, taking office after the devastating 2010 earthquake.

The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said Martelly "abused his influence to facilitate the trafficking of dangerous drugs, including cocaine, destined for the United States."

The department said he also worked with Haitian drug traffickers, sponsored multiple gangs and engaged in laundering of illicit drug proceeds.

"Today's action against Martelly emphasizes the significant and destabilizing role he and other corrupt political elites have played in perpetuating the ongoing crisis in Haiti," Treasury's Acting Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Bradley Smith, said in the statement.

As part of Tuesday's action, U.S. financial institutions are barred from making loans or providing credit to Martelly, among other restrictions.

Martelly is a legal U.S. resident who currently resides in Miami, the Miami Herald has reported.

Asked whether Martelly had left the U.S., a State Department spokesperson said the department does not comment on the immigration status of individuals.

Martelly's lawyer also declined to comment on the case.

A pop singer who performed under the stage name Sweet Micky before becoming president, Martelly had strong U.S. backing before and during his presidency, and has made a living playing shows in South Florida after leaving office including several in recent weeks.

During his presidency, his government faced allegations of corruption linked to disaster relief aid and use of funds in a Venezuelan oil loan program.

In 2022, Canada sanctioned Martelly and two former prime ministers for financing gangs.

Gang wars have displaced more than 578,000 Haitians, the United Nations says, and nearly 5 million face acute hunger, almost half the population of 11.7 million, with 1.6 million of those at risk of starvation.

Armed gangs have formed a broad alliance while carrying out widespread killings, ransom kidnappings and sexual violence.

(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Caitlin Webber; Additional reporting by Brendan O'Boyle in Mexico City and Harold Isaac in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and David Gregorio)