Canada sanctions three Haitian politicians

• 

The government of Canada published on Saturday a statement indicating that it has placed sanctions on three Haitian politicians, namely Senator Ronny Célestin, the former Senator Hervé Fourcand, and the former President of the Chamber of Deputies Gary Bodeau.

According to the statement, the sanctions are being imposed "in response to the egregious conduct of Haitian political elites who provide illicit financial and operational support to armed gangs."

"Canada has reason to believe 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," the statement reads. 

The latest sanctions freeze any assets the individuals may hold in Canada and impose a dealings prohibition on them.

The statement adds that the gangs and "their supporters continue to terrorize vulnerable populations in Haiti with impunity and are precipitating a humanitarian crisis in Haiti that includes the resurgence of cholera in Haiti."

Canada previously imposed sanctions against two other Haitian politicians on November 4 for the same reasons, citing that they provided "illicit financial and operational support to armed gangs."

Le #Canada a déclaré qu’il imposerait des sanctions aux personnes qui financent les gangs criminels en #Haïti. En ce dimanche 20 novembre, un ancien président et deux anciens premiers ministres sanctionnés. Persona non grata. pic.twitter.com/bylqizjYo6

— 𝐒𝐭𝐞́𝐩𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧 (@StephaneSanon22) November 20, 2022

Haiti, an ex-French colony, was the first free black republic in the world. It was the first independent state in the Caribbean and the second independent state in the Western Hemisphere after the US.

Due to its heroic anti-colonial past, Haiti had suffered a long history of political turmoil and imperialist insurgencies by the West, particularly the US. 

The West robbed Haiti's chance to bloom into a free and autonomous country as it sought to prevent the potential threat of an anti-western influence from developing in the Caribbean region.

Haiti currently relies on the UN and NGOs to provide most of its basic services and continues to endure rampant corruption among its highest ranks - most of whom were backed by the US and western countries.

Read more: US, Canada send aircraft, military equipment to 'help' Haiti