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On Friday, the United States imposed financial sanctions on former Lebanese minister Gebran Bassil for accusing him of “corruption.” And in a statement, he announced the freezing of all his assets in his country. And he asked the Lebanese banks, which trade in dollars, to do the same in Lebanon.
On Friday, the U.S. Treasury announced financial sanctions against the politician Lebanese The influential Gebran Bassil, accused of “corruption” and embezzlement.
In a statement, the US Treasury announced the freezing of all US assets belonging to Bassil, the son-in-law of Lebanese President Michel Aoun and the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Energy, and asked Lebanese banks to carry out transactions in US dollars. freeze all their assets in Lebanon.
Among the reasons cited in the statement is that Bassil, who “held senior positions in the Lebanese government, including the Minister of Communications, the Minister of Energy and Water, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates”, is involved in “major accusations of corruption”.
He continued: “In 2017, Bassil strengthened his political base by appointing friends to his positions (…). In 2014, when he was Minister of Energy, he approved several projects that would direct funds from the Lebanese government to people close to him through a group of companies. Interface “.
The ministry also said that Bassil is “responsible or complicit, or was directly or indirectly involved in corruption, including the misappropriation of state assets and the confiscation of private assets for personal gain.” .
Bassil, 50, is considered one of the closest people to Aoun, whom he considers his political heir. He is the head of the Free Patriotic Movement led by the President of the Republic.
Since Aoun’s accession to the presidency in 2018, Bassil is widely seen as the “shadow president.” He is the one who negotiates with the current of the president during the formation of governments, and was one of the most present ministers in the political arena and the most controversial.
France 24 / AFP
