US sanctions former Haitian pres. on illicit drug trade

The United States designated on Tuesday former Haitian president Michel Martelly for his role in the global illicit drug trade. Martelly abused his influence to facilitate drug trafficking and has sponsored multiple Haiti-based gangs, Vedant Patel, Principal Deputy Spokesperson for the US Department of State, said in a statement. Narcotics trafficking and gang-related violence have contributed to political instability and insecurity in Haiti, which has created an untenable living situation for the Haitian people, he added. Patel went to say "it is unacceptable for Haitian political and economic elites to plunder Haiti's future". Today's action demonstrates the United States' unwavering resolve to promote accountability for all individuals whose activities contribute to gang violence and destabilize the political environment in Haiti, regardless of their rank or stature, he pointed out. Martelly also has an outstanding arrest warrant issued by a Haitian judge in January, part of a broader case accusing mo re than 30 high-ranking officials of corruption. Source: Kuwait News Agency