Canada imposes more sanctions in Haiti, targeting country’s wealthiest people

OTTAWA – Canada is imposing more sanctions on Haitian elites it accuses of empowering gangs in the Caribbean country.

The new sanctions freeze Canadian assets held by three of the country’s wealthiest people.

They include Gilbert Bigio, who is often called the richest person in Haiti, as well as Reynold Deeb and Sherif Abdallah.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly accuses the trio of providing “illicit financial and operational support to armed gangs” through money laundering and “other acts of corruption.”

Gangs have paralyzed Haiti by blocking access to roads, fuel and essentials, leading the government to call for an international military intervention, which Ottawa is considering leading.

But some Haitians fear that will only help parts of the government, which they say is responsible for corruption and a worsening cholera outbreak, stay in power.

Joly is also asking countries “to follow our lead and impose sanctions against gangs and their supporters.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2022.