WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—The US State Department announced sanctions against a Haitian government official accused of supporting gangs and hindering efforts against criminal organisations.

The department did not identify the official or the gangs involved, but said it will revoke any visas currently held by the individual.

“The Department of State is taking steps to impose visa restrictions on a Haitian government official for supporting gangs and other criminal organizations, and obstructing the government of Haiti’s fight against terrorist gangs,” it said in a statement on Monday.

The sanctioned official was identified as Fritz Alphonse Jean, a member of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, a source close to him told AFP.

During a press conference Tuesday, Jean read from a written statement where he called the US accusations a “masquerade” without explicitly stating he was the target of the sanctions.

“If insisting on good governance and fighting against the perpetuation of a chaotic system that rests on the capture of the state constitutes a crime for which one must pay, I will nevertheless continue on this path without respite,” Jean said.

Washington designated two Haitian gangs — Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif — as terrorist organizations in May.

The United States “remains committed to supporting Haiti’s stability and expects measurable progress toward free and fair elections,” the State Department said.

Prominent Haitian businessman Dmitri Vorbe, accused of backing gangs, was arrested in the United States in September and deported to his homeland.

Another leading Haitian businessman, Pierre Reginald Boulos, was arrested by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials in July for allegedly “contributing to the destabilization of Haiti.”

As the poorest country in the Americas, Haiti has long suffered from criminal gang violence, with murders, rapes, looting and kidnappings prevalent against a backdrop of chronic political instability.

The situation worsened significantly at the start of 2024, when gangs forced then-prime minister Ariel Henry to resign.