Canada Slaps Sanctions On 3 Haitian Businessmen

News Americas, TORONTO, Canada, Thurs. Sept. 21, 2023: The Canadian government has enforced sanctions against three Haitian entrepreneurs, alleging their involvement in corruption and “other illicit activities” and their alleged facilitation of armed gang operations that have aggravated a severe social and humanitarian crisis in Haiti.

These sanctions, which target Marc Antoine Acra, Carl Braun, and Jean-Marie Vorbe, effectively bar them from traveling to Canada and prohibit Canadian citizens, entities, or residents from engaging in economic transactions with them.

Marc Antoine Acra is a prominent businessman who previously served as an advisor to former Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe.

Carl Braun serves as vice president on the board of directors of Unibank, the largest Haitian bank, while Jean-Marie Vorbe is the CEO of Sogener, an energy sector company.

Canada contends that these businessmen are contributing to violence and instability in Haiti through corrupt practices and other criminal activities, as well as by enabling illegal actions by armed gangs that are terrorizing the Haitian population.

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly emphasized that these sanctions are a crucial element of a comprehensive approach to address Haiti’s political situation.

Canada has actively participated in diplomatic initiatives aimed at establishing a multinational peacekeeping force under the United Nations’ auspices to intervene in Haiti.

Since November 2022, Canada has imposed sanctions on 28 Haitian individuals, described as the country’s “political and economic elite,” due to their alleged involvement in armed gang activities in Haiti.

Earlier this week, Joly appointed André Francois Giroux as Canada’s new ambassador to Haiti, underscoring Canada’s commitment to engaging with the situation in Haiti.

Canada is home to over 165,000 people of Haitian descent.