WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by Senators Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in releasing the below statements following Committee approval of their Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act, bipartisan legislation that would require the Department of State to investigate and provide Congress with annual reports regarding the nature of the relationship between criminal gangs and political and economic elites in Haiti.
Prompted by the country’s proliferation in gang violence, which comes amid its profound security and humanitarian crises, the bipartisan bill seeks to grant public access to the Department’s annual congressional reports and requires targeted measures under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act against criminal gangs in Haiti, as well as the political and economic elites with whom they collude.
“Against the backdrop of political upheaval and a grave humanitarian and security crisis, gangs across Haiti are wreaking havoc with the support of malicious financers and political backers. Killing innocent civilians, committing sexual violence, and profiting from dangerous drug trafficking and racketeering schemes, Haitian gangs continue their siege on the country, largely with impunity. This cannot continue,” Chairman Menendez said. “Today’s Committee passage of our bipartisan Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act serves as an important step forward in ending these heinous abuses, and in ensuring that those responsible—and those that enable them—face serious consequences, no matter their rank or status. As our bipartisan legislation heads next to the Senate Floor, I affirm my commitment to work to secure its passage, and to ultimately end this reign of terror that threatens Haiti’s future and broader hemispheric stability.”
“As criminal gangs continue to rampage Haiti, and yet receive protection by corrupt government officials and businessmen, the international community must address the complex crisis in this beautiful nation. This bipartisan bill is an important tool to hold accountable the bad actors who are destroying the livelihoods of the Haitian people. The Haitian people deserve to live in a stable country. I urge the full Senate to support this legislation,” said Senator Rubio.
“Criminal gangs in Haiti have committed horrendous violence against the Haitian people, and they, along with their backers, must be held accountable,” said Senator Kaine. “I urge the full Senate to pass this bipartisan bill, which would help expose connections between bad actors in Haiti and impose sanctions on Haitian criminal gangs.”
The Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2023:
· Imposes Global Magnitsky sanctions and visa restrictions on both Haitian gang leaders and the political and economic elites that support their activities.
· Requires annual reporting on the nature and magnitude of gang violence in Haiti and connections between Haitian criminal gangs and political and economic elites.
· Ensures public, readily accessible identification of Haitian gang members and the political and economic elites that the United States assesses to have links to criminal gangs.
Find a copy of the legislation HERE.
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