WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd June, 2023) The US government is designating former Haitian Prime Minister Laurent Salvador Lamothe for corruption, claiming he took $60 million from a petroleum investment and welfare fund for his own profit, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
"Today, I am announcing the designation of Laurent Salvador Lamothe, former Haitian Prime Minister and Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, for his involvement in significant corruption," Blinken said in a statement on Friday. "This action renders Lamothe generally ineligible for entry into the United States."
Lamothe misappropriated at least $60 million from the Haitian government's PetroCaribe infrastructure investment and social welfare fund for private gain, the statement said.
"Through this corrupt act and his direct involvement in the management of the fund, he exploited his role as a public official and contributed to the current instability in Haiti," the statement added.
The US government continues to support the citizens, organizations and public servants of Haiti and it will continue to promote accountability for those who abuse public power for personal gain, according to the statement.
