December 23, 2024
The organization Ensemble Contre la Corruption (ECC), an association of eight organizations against corruption, has formally requested an investigation from Hans Jacques Ludwig Joseph, Director General of the Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC), into the assets accumulated by former Haitian President Michel Joseph Martelly and his family members who held public office. This request follows recent sanctions imposed by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which accuses Martelly of involvement in international drug trafficking.
In a letter dated September 2, ECC highlights that the former president, along with his wife and son, may have used their positions to illegally accumulate wealth. ECC demands that the ULCC investigate both movable and immovable assets that this family may have acquired during and after Martelly’s presidency, which lasted from 2011 to 2016.
International Sanctions Following Serious Accusations
The U.S. sanctions, announced on August 20, 2024, represent a decisive shift in handling Michel Martelly’s political legacy. The U.S. government accuses him of facilitating drug trafficking, particularly cocaine, into the United States. According to Bradley T. Smith, Acting U.S. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, Martelly and other corrupt officials have contributed to Haiti’s current crisis by fostering an environment of violence and insecurity, marked by close ties with armed gangs.
The United States has frozen all of Michel Martelly’s assets within its jurisdiction and has banned any American individual or business from conducting transactions with him. Additionally, the former president is now prohibited from entering the U.S., where he spent much of his time between the Dominican Republic and Miami, Florida.
Connections to Gangs and Drug Trafficking
The U.S. administration has particularly pointed to Martelly’s connections with armed gangs operating in Haiti. These gangs, accused of murders, kidnappings, and rapes, control a large part of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and major transportation routes in the country. Martelly is suspected of using his influence to support these groups while facilitating drug trafficking.
The United States is not the only country taking action against Martelly. In 2022, Canada had already imposed similar sanctions against the former president, also citing his involvement in illegal activities—a decision that was welcomed by Washington at the time.
A Call for Justice in Haiti
In light of these international accusations and the freezing of Martelly’s assets, ECC urges Haitian authorities to act swiftly. The organization stresses the need for a thorough investigation into the origin of the former president’s and his family’s wealth. ECC believes it is crucial to determine whether these assets were fraudulently acquired, given that Martelly and his family enjoyed privileged positions within the Haitian government.