COLLEAGUE CHRONICLES CORRUPTION OF YOURI LATORTUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 002230

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/EX AND WHA/CAR
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
WHA/EX PLEASEPASS USOAS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL HA
SUBJECT: COLLEAGUE CHRONICLES CORRUPTION OF YOURI LATORTUE

REF: PORT AU PRINCE 01407

PORT AU PR 00002230 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d
).


1. (C) Summary: Senator Youri Latortue may well be the most
brazenly corrupt of leading Haitian politicians, according to
a colleague. The XXXXXXXXXXXX recently shared with poloffs his concerns regarding Latortue's illegal or otherwise unsavory activities
in the port city of Gonaives and other areas of the
Artibonite. Latortue's family connections play a part in his
ability to manipulate the region, as do his close
associations with armed gangs and drug traffickers. End
Summary.


2. (C) On November 9, Poloffs met with XXXXXXXXXXXX
(protect),XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX has been in this XXXXXXXXXXXX position for approximately XXXXXXXXXXXX, serving as XXXXXXXXXXXX. The IGoH XXXXXXXXXXXX
and he is unsure whether or not XXXXXXXXXXXX. The First Senator from the Artibonite is Youri Latortue, of the Artibonite in Action party. XXXXXXXXXXXX was able to provide insight into the senator's
activities in the region, particularly in the city of
Gonaives.

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Latortue Family Ties
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3. (SBU) The Latortue family is crawling all over Haitian
politics. Youri is a first cousin once-removed of former
IGoH Prime Minister Gerard Latortue. Youri's sister is the
former mayor of Gonaives, and the former delegate to the
region was a cousin of his as well. The administration
filled Haiti's local and municipal offices by presidential
appointment during the IGoH. Senator Latortue had influence
over these appointments through his relation with IGoH Prime
Minister Gerard Latortue, and managed to place members of his
party in most positions around the Artibonite. The senator
used these people to consolidate his power and influence in
the region until the new delegate to the Artibonite appointed
new local and regional officials who were not in the back
pocket of Senator Latortue.

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Senator Running Drug and Gang Activities in Gonaives?
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4. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX likened Senator Latortue's authority in
the port city of Gonaives to that of a mafia boss. He
claimed that the somewhat lethargic port and the drug and
other contraband trafficking taking place there are
completely under the Senator's command. The port in Gonaives
is largely controlled by the Cannibal Army gang, which faces
persistent competition from two other gangs, Des Cahos and
Jubile Blan. Senator Latortue exerts influence over all
three groups and is thus able to maintain sway over dealings
in the port. Senator Latortue's other businesses in Gonaives
include a nightclub and movie theater, both of questionable
legitimacy. Additionally, other sources such as SRSG Mulet
have accused Latortue of being a "drug dealer" (ref A),and
an oft-disruptive popular organization in St. Marc named
"Bale Wouze" recently accused the senator of distributing
weapons in an effort to destabilize the government. (Note:
St. Hilien phoned the Embassy on November 16 to reinforce the
Bale Wouze accusations, and also to report another incident
in which Senator Latortue and friends were stealing telephone
poles and utility boxes from Port-au-Prince for use in
Gonaives. End Note.)


5. (C) After the large-scale flooding in the Artibonite in
September, the central government allocated emergency food
supplies to be distributed to the flood victims. XXXXXXXXXXXX
reported that Senator Latortue intercepted the supplies and
stashed them temporarily somewhere in Gonaives, and then took
the supplies to the victims and acted as if he was personally
responsible for the handouts.


6. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX recounted a story demonstrating Prime
Minister Jacques Eduard-Alexis' distrust of Senator Latortue
and his Artibonite in Action party. When a group of
Artibonite in Action members sat behind the Prime Minister at
a recent event to celebrate the anniversary of the city of
Gonaives, he asked for them to be moved so they weren't so
close to him. During the same event, Senator Latortue paid
protestors to demonstrate and cause disruption to the
ceremonies, according to XXXXXXXXXXXX. Senator Latortue often
exploits local gangs for his own purposes in this way.


7. (C) Comment: Latortue's activities are a cause for
concern given his presidential ambitions for 2011. Prime
Minister Alexis has gone as far as to ask for the USG to
"arrest him", as has Preval's advisor Bob Manuel. Post will
provide septel a fuller profile of Latortue's background and
policy implications for the USG. End Comment.
SANDERSON