Anthony Blinken, the Secretary of State, announced on Friday that the country had imposed sanctions on the former Prime Minister of Haiti, Laurent Lamothe, for the misappropriate use of tens of millions of dollars.
In an official statement, Blinken stated that the designation for his involvement in a major corruption spree would render the former Prime Minister, who also served as a minister for external cooperation and planning, completely ineligible for entry into the United States. The Secretary of State further mentioned that Lamothe had misappropriated around $60 million from the PetroCaribe infrastructure investment that had been set up by the Haitian government. Through this act of corruption and his direct involvement in the management of the fund, he had exploited his role as a public official and had contributed immensely to the current instability in Haiti.
Laurent Lamothe Has Been Accused Of Corruption
PetroCaribe, in a deal with Venezuela, had agreed to provide the government in Haiti with cheap fuel. However, it had later been linked to a scandal over the mismanagement of the funds, with claims of corruption causing massive protests in the country. In a statement made on Saturday, Laurent Lamothe denied the allegations that had been placed against him, stating that they had been made without any investigation- something that could separate him from his family in the United States. Currently, the former minister lives in Florida.
On Friday, Blinken mentioned that the move against Laurent Lamothe had been a part of a series of actions that would promote accountability for those who foment violence, block humanitarian support, and manage to enrich themselves in the process.
