Haitian Ambassador to the US removed from position following passport sales scandal

The Haitian government removed its ambassador to the US, Edmond Bocchit after being linked to the sale of Haitian passports for $10,000. Bocchit and other diplomats were removed from their positions following an investigation in April, but no legal action has been taken against them yet. Bocchit confirmed the government’s decision to end his time as ambassador and revealed that a commission had visited the embassy in Washington to investigate the allegations of selling Haitian documents in mid-April.

According to Haitian media, rumors about the Embassy of Haiti in the US have been circulating since 2022, with accusations of “problematic contracts, including lobbying contracts, which are under scrutiny by the Haitian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Superior Court of Accounts and Administrative Disputes.” Bocchit denied any wrongdoing and claimed that his removal was due to a personal vendetta from the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Claude Joseph.

The investigation into corruption allegations in Haitian diplomatic delegations includes corruption, illicit enrichment, providing intelligence to the enemy, and diplomats who had been considered career officials. While the reasons for Bocchit’s removal are still unclear, his departure from the embassy could indicate a larger crackdown on corruption in Haitian diplomatic circles.