Haiti: US Sanctions Against Kempes Sanon and Dimitri Hérard for Supporting Terrorism

WASHINGTON.— The United States announced new economic and legal sanctions on Friday against two figures accused of supporting terrorist activities. Dimitri Hérard, former national palace security official, and Kempes Sanon, leader of an armed group, are now targeted for their alleged involvement in terrorist activities. This decision, made public by the US Embassy in Port-au-Prince, is based on Executive Order 13224, a legal framework allowing sanctions against any person or entity involved in terrorist activities or their financing. Binding and Immediate Sanctions According to the official note from the US Treasury Department, all assets and interests belonging to Hérard and Sanon, located in the United States or under the control of US citizens, are now frozen. Any company owned 50% or more by either of them will also be blocked. Washington justifies these measures by the need to weaken criminal networks that fuel violence and destabilize the region. “The era of impunity is over,” the statement indicates, specifying that perpetrators of acts of terror or violence against the Haitian population will now have to answer to international justice. Hérard, a Controversial Figure at the Center of the Storm Dimitri Hérard, former head of the General Security Unit of the National Palace (USGPN), is already cited in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, and in several investigations related to human rights violations and alleged links to illicit trafficking. For his part, Kempes Sanon is presented by US authorities as one of the most influential leaders of the armed group “Viv Ansanm,” accused of carrying out coordinated attacks against civilians, public institutions, and humanitarian convoys. According to Washington, the two men allegedly facilitated the movement of weapons, funds, and logistical resources intended to support the violent operations of this organization. Towards an Expansion of International Sanctions This initiative could pave the way for coordinated measures with other partners, notably Canada and the European Union, to tighten pressure on actors suspected of financing or perpetuating violence. “Those who profit from chaos or exploit the suffering of the Haitian people will no longer find refuge in the international financial system,” the American statement warns. Washington also seeks to establish a precedent: support for criminal organizations will now be equated with complicity with terrorist entities. By taking these measures, the United States reaffirms its support for the Haitian people and its determination to combat terrorism in the Caribbean. This diplomatic offensive marks a decisive step in the fight against transnational criminal networks and the impunity that has undermined Haitian society for several years. Jean Mapou