(Ottawa) Le premier ministre Justin Trudeau affirme que les États-Unis et l’Europe doivent en faire « beaucoup plus » pour sanctionner les élites haïtiennes qui ont un rôle à jouer dans la crise d’insécurité en Haïti.
« Pour moi, la meilleure façon de refaire une stabilité pour Haïti, c’est d’abord de sanctionner les élites pour leur dire qu’elles ne peuvent plus financer les gangs [ni] political instability,” he said Monday during a public meeting held in the Saint-Michel district of Montreal.
A member of the audience challenged the Prime Minister about the concerns of the Haitian diaspora, many of whom live in this neighborhood.
Mr. Trudeau recalled that Ottawa has sanctioned 17 people, including several former politicians, since they are considered to be accomplices of the armed gangs that sow terror in Haiti.
The situation in the Caribbean country has reached a critical level in recent months, with gangs raping women and blocking the population’s access to essential services.
In November, Canada began sanctioning the first people under its Special Economic Measures Act. This has the effect of freezing the assets of these people in Canada as well as preventing them from making any stay in the country.
During an interview with The Canadian Press in December, Mr. Trudeau spoke of a desire to see European countries follow in the footsteps of the Canadian government.
“We are taking the United States and perhaps even Europe to [mettre de l’avant] their own sanctions too,” he said.
On Monday, he went further. “The United States started to impose more sanctions. We need them to do a lot more. We need Europe, France, to do more,” he said.
He also added that the neighboring countries of Haiti had their role to play in this approach.
“Secondly, we must ensure that the Haitian National Police have the power to do their job,” continued Mr. Trudeau.
He argued that the holding of elections can only be done once stability is established in Haiti.
“To vote when you are afraid to leave your house, when there are armed gangs in the street […] it’s not a real democratic vote,” said the Prime Minister.
The last elections in this country go back several years. Ex-President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July 2021 and Prime Minister Ariel Henry then ran for leader but was not elected.