The U.S. Treasury's action emphasizes the destabilizing role played by corrupt political elites, particularly Michel Martelly, in perpetuating Haiti's ongoing crisis through drug trafficking and gang sponsorship.
"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," a Treasury official said.
State Department spokesman Vedant Patel remarked that the sanctions demonstrate the U.S.'s resolve "to promote accountability for all individuals whose activities contribute to gang violence and destabilize the political environment in Haiti."
Gang violence has deeply entrenched itself in Haitian society, with gangs controlling at least 80 percent of Port-au-Prince, exacerbated by political figures historically backing their influence.
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