Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly accuses Haitian businessman Gilbert Bigio of providing “illicit financial and operational support to armed gangs” through money laundering and “other acts of corruption.”

The sanctions impose a dealings prohibition on the businessmen and their transacting in Canada, effectively freezing any assets they may hold in Canada.

The announcement by the government of Canada comes at a time when Canada would be assuming a leadership position to push forward actions to assist Haiti with its multidimensional crisis.

The press release highlights: “Canada is taking a leadership role in sanctioning elites to prevent them from supporting gangs that are committing violence against Haitian people. Canada calls on the international community to follow our lead and impose sanctions against gangs and their supporters to help the people of Haiti emerge from this crisis and restore peace and security in their country.”

So far, the Dominican Republic is suffering the brunt of the situation in the form of increased undocumented migration, demands for free social services at a high cost to Dominican taxpayers and security threat.

In the Dominican Republic, Gilbert Bigio is the chairman of the GB Group that operates Chevron Caribbean and the Texaco brand. He also owns Texaco operations in St. Maarten and Jamaica.

The GB Group is a family-run conglomerate touted as the largest in Haiti. It is also the local partner for Haiti’s leading telecommunications company, Digicel.

In 2011, Haiti Libre had reported that in the Dominican Republic, the GB Group had partnered with Marti Petroleum Group, specialized in LPG distribution and fuel marketing. This 2022, Marti Petroleum Group transferred its Sunix brand to Total Energies.

Local media reports the GB Group has investments in other businesses in the Dominican Republic.

Furthermore, the government of Canada says it has reason to believe these individuals are using their status as high-profile members of the economic elite in Haiti to protect and enable the illegal activities of armed criminal gangs, including through money laundering and other acts of corruption.

The Canadian government statement says that gangs and their supporters continue to terrorize vulnerable populations in Haiti with impunity and are precipitating a humanitarian crisis in the country that includes the resurgence of cholera. They are also committing unspeakable violence, including widespread sexual violence, against affected populations and impeding the delivery of critical services and humanitarian aid.

The press release explains: “The sanctions Canada has imposed are intended to put pressure on those responsible for the ongoing violence and instability in Haiti. These people must stop providing funds and weapons to criminal gangs in Haiti. We encourage all stakeholders to support real progress on a political agreement that will lead to an inclusive and constructive dialogue, and end to the current crisis. This is the only way to help create the environment needed for a return to stability, law and order, and democracy in Haiti.”

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