The press release from the U.S. Treasury Department announcing these bilateral measures taken with the Government of Canada appeared on Friday, November 4, 2022. At the outset, we can read that the U.S. Treasury sanctions corrupt Haitian politicians for drug trafficking.
The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), the U.S. Treasury Department, in conjunction with the Government of Canada, has designated Haitian nationals Joseph Lambert and Youri Latortue pursuant to Executive Order 14059 of December 15, 2021 to “Impose sanctions on foreign nationals involved in the global trade of illicit drugs,” the document postulates.
OFAC has singled out Congressmen Lambert and Latortue for engaging, or attempting to engage, in activities or transactions that have materially contributed, or present a significant risk of materially contributing, to the international proliferation of illicit drugs or their means of production, continues the communiqué, in which the U.S. and Canadian governments took care to mention that Joseph Lambert is the current president of the Haitian Senate and has held political positions in Haiti for 20 years and Youri Latortue, being a former Haitian senator and a long-time politician.
The statement goes further to say that “Joseph Lambert and Youri Latortue have abused their official positions to traffic drugs and have collaborated with criminal networks and gangs to undermine the rule of law in Haiti. This is according to the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “The United States and our international partners will continue to take action against those who facilitate drug trafficking, enable corruption and seek to profit from instability in Haiti,” he said.
While it is true that the United States of America has been waging a relentless fight against drug trafficking for ages, its Treasury Department has waited a long time to point out that Lambert’s history with drug trafficking spans two decades. During this time, Lambert has used his position to direct and facilitate the trafficking of cocaine from Colombia to Haiti and to facilitate impunity in Haiti for other drug traffickers. Senator Lambert has also ordered others to engage in violence on his behalf. His drug trafficking, corrupt tactics and continued disregard for the rule of law have contributed to the ongoing destabilization of Haiti, U.S. and Canadian authorities say.
As for Senator Latortue, the U.S.-Canadian statement said the parliamentarian also had a long history of involvement in drug trafficking activities. Latortue engaged in cocaine trafficking from Colombia to Haiti and ordered others to engage in violence on his behalf. OFAC coordinated closely with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on this designation, the document states.
As a result, all assets and interests in assets of designated persons that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons must be blocked and reported to OFAC. In addition, all entities owned, directly or indirectly, 50% or more by one or more of the blocked persons are also blocked as a sanction against these two Haitian Senators and others who are likely to be designated.
The release continued that those who engage in certain transactions with those named today may themselves be subject to sanctions or legal action. In addition, unless an exception applies, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates a material transaction or provides material financial services to the persons designated today could be subject to U.S. sanctions.
The bilateral statement further asserts that the authority and integrity of OFAC’s sanctions derive not only from the U.S. Treasury Department’s ability to designate and add individuals to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (SDN List), but also from its willingness to remove individuals from the SDN List in accordance with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior, the statement concluded.
Note that Senators Joseph Lambert and Youri Latortue are banned from entering the United States.