US denies entry to former Haitian Prime Minister amid corruption allegations

By Breaking Belize News Staff: According to new reports, Laurent Salvador Lamothe, the former Prime Minister of Haiti, has strongly refuted allegations from the United States implicating him in “substantial corruption” within the Francophone nation. These allegations culminated in sanctions being levied against Lamothe by the US government.

US Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, announced that these sanctions would render Lamothe largely ineligible to enter the United States. Blinken also accused Lamothe of misappropriating approximately $60 million from Haiti’s PetroCaribe infrastructure and social welfare fund for personal benefit, contributing to Haiti’s current instability.

However, Lamothe has hit back, stating in a released response that Blinken’s decision is based on “recycled hearsay” rather than substantial evidence, dating back to his tenure as Prime Minister from 2012-2014. Lamothe also pointed out the lack of evidence of any “specific disappearance of funds” in a PetroCaribe report issued to the US Congress by the Department of State in November 2022.

Lamothe is the most recent in a series of former Haitian leaders to face Washington-imposed sanctions related to their term in office. The former Prime Minister argues that the sanctions serve to appease his long-standing political adversaries in Haiti, who, he alleges, have consistently sought to destabilize his governance and tarnish his character.

Lamothe defended his financial management record during his time in office, citing five independent audits that found no misconduct directly attributable to him. He insisted on his positive contributions to the Miami community, his current residence, and expressed dismay at the sanctions, which he views as an unjust separation from his two daughters.

Despite the challenges, Lamothe remains resolute in his commitment to challenge the Department of State’s designation through all available legal avenues, in a bid to clear his name and reunite with his family.

Meanwhile, the US remains firm in its commitment to promote accountability for those abusing public power for personal gain, as evidenced by previous sanctions against other officials, including the former President of the Haitian Chamber of Deputies, Gary Bodeau, and two Haitian politicians, Rony Celestin, and Richard Fourcand.

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