Canada sanctions Haiti ex-President Martelly for financing gangs

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Canada has sanctioned former Haitian President Michel Martelly and two former prime ministers for their roles in financing gangs, Canada's ambassador to Haiti said on Twitter on Sunday. 

FILE PHOTO: Martelly speaks at a ceremony in Port-au-Prince© Thomson Reuters

In September, Haitian gangs created a humanitarian crisis by blocking a fuel terminal for nearly six weeks, halting most economic activity and triggering U.N. discussion of a possible foreign strike force to open the terminal.

Canada, along with the United States and United Nations, have sanctioned political leaders who allegedly financed the gangs, which according to policy makers are backed by Haitian elites.

Radio-Canada journalist Louis Blouin on Twitter wrote that the sanctions targeted Martelly, as well as former Haitian Prime Ministers Laurent Lamothe and Jean Henry Ceant.

Sebastien Carriere, Canada's ambassador to Haiti, replied on Twitter with the words "I confirm."

Lamothe described the announcement as "the Fakest of Fake news," noting he has publicly sought foreign intervention to fight gangs.

"Canada cannot provide once piece of evidence, because there is none," he wrote in a text message to Reuters. "This is Absurd."

Reuters was unable to contact Martelly or Ceant.

Police took back control of the terminal this month and fuel has started to flow again, but gang kidnappings are on the rise and armed groups continue expanding control of territory.

(Reporting by Harold Isaac in Port-au-Prince and Brian Ellsworth in Miami; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)