Haiti's former President Michel Martelly says goodbye after a ceremony marking the end of his presidential term, at the Haitian Parliament in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, February 7, 2016. REUTERS/Andres Martinez Casares/File Photo
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on Haiti's former president, Michel Joseph Martelly, over drug trafficking, accusing him of playing a significant role in perpetuating the ongoing crisis in the country.
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 the 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.
“The United States, along with our international partners, is committed to disrupting those who facilitate the drug trafficking, corruption, and other illicit activities fueling the horrific gang violence and political instability.”
Tuesday's action freezes any of Martelly's U.S. assets and generally bars Americans from dealing with him.
Gang wars have displaced more than 578,000 Haitians, while nearly 5 million - almost half the population of 11.7 million - are facing acute hunger, with 1.6 million of those people at risk of starvation, the United Nations says.
Armed gangs have formed a broad alliance while carrying out widespread killings, ransom kidnappings and sexual violence.
(Reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Caitlin Webber; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
