Canada slaps sanctions on 2 former Haitian justice ministers

TRENTON, Canada

Canada hit two former Haitian justice ministers with sanctions Tuesday, accusing the pair of "significant corruption" including money laundering.

Berto Dorce and Liszt Quitel are now prohibited from entering Canada and are forbidden to have dealings with individuals or firms in the country. Any assets they have in Canada are also now frozen.

"Canada has reason to believe these individuals are using their status as high-profile elites in Haiti to protect and enable the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs, including through money laundering and other acts of corruption," Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said in a statement.

Haiti has descended into chaos since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moise last year.

Gangs have wrestled control of more than half of the capital of Port-au-Prince, according to the UN, and Haitians live in fear. The UN estimated that 155,000 people have fled their homes and about 20,000 face starvation.

"These gangs and their supporters continue to terrorize vulnerable populations in Haiti with impunity and are precipitating a humanitarian crisis in the country that includes the resurgence of cholera," Joly said. "They are also committing unspeakable violence against affected populations and impeding the delivery of critical services and humanitarian aid."

She accused Dorce and Quitel of aiding and abetting the gangs.

Quitel and his successor as justice minister, Dorce, were expelled from the government by Prime Minister Ariel Henry last month.

Earlier in December, Canada conducted a diplomatic mission in Haiti "to encourage greater unity among key stakeholders toward a political path and process to democratic elections," Joly said. Meanwhile, the US has been trying to drum up support among other countries for a military invasion of Haiti to restore order.

There have been no takers to date.