MIAMI – The prime suspects in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse appeared in federal court in Miami for the first time Wednesday and agreed to be arrested as the government charged them with a broad conspiracy to seize power.
On Tuesday, the Justice Department indicted four men in connection with the killing and detailed a pattern in which prosecutors say a former Supreme Court judge of the country, still anonymous, Colombian mercenaries and an illegal shipment of weapons have been implicated from the United States.
Three of the men are accused of conspiracy to kill Moïse: James Solages, 37, and Joseph Vincent, 57, both of dual Haitian-American nationality, and Germán Rivera García, 44, a Colombian accused of running the group mercenaries operating in Haiti. The fourth, Dr. Christian Emmanuel Sanon, 65, also a dual Haitian-American national, was indicted for smuggling.
The suspects testified Wednesday before Southern District of Florida Judge Alicia M. Otazo Reyes that they were homeless and needed an attorney, prompting her to assign an attorney to each. Prosecutors said so The four men, who appeared in court dressed in tan coveralls and surgical masks, were at risk of flight..
If convicted, Solages, Vincent and Rivera could face life sentences. Sanon risks a maximum of 20 years.
On July 7, 2021, a group of assailants broke into Moïse’s residence near Port-au-Prince (Haiti) at dawn, shooting him 12 times and wounding his wife. Since then, Haiti has been in chaos, with roving gangs perpetrating violence and government institutions in disarray. The case in Haiti has been stalled, with another judge assigned to the case after others resigned or were removed.
According to prosecutors, Solages and Sanon met in April 2021 in South Florida to discuss “regime change in Haiti.”, as well as supporting Sanon, a Haitian pastor, doctor and aspiring political candidate. The following month, according to prosecutors, Sanon hired the equipment needed to have its own military force in Haiti, including 20 Colombian nationals.
Rivera is accused of leading the Colombian group.
The alleged plot against Moïse has evolved over time: from a daring plan to kidnap the Haitian president and flee the country by plane to assassination which was finally executed, according to a court file.
On July 6, 2021, the day before Moïse was killed, Solages, Vincent and Rivera met with other conspirators at a house near Moïse’s residence, according to the filing. Firearms and other equipment were distributed, and Solages announced that his mission was a “CIA operation” to kill the Haitian president.
The next day, the assassins traveled in a convoy to Moïse’s residence and falsely claimed to be American law enforcement officers to ensure they were obeyed as they stormed the residence.
Three other people have also been charged in the United States in connection with Moïse’s death: a Haitian government informant and businessman, Rodolphe Jaar, 49; a former Colombian soldier, Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios; and a former senator from Haiti, John Joël Joseph.
Prosecutors testified in court Wednesday that the seven men will be tried in the same case.
Three of the lawyers declined to comment on the allegations, with one of them saying he only knew about the case from reading the newspaper.
Another, Ken Swartz, who represents Vincent, said: “The allegations are serious and we want to know what evidence the government has.”
The defendants’ appearance is scheduled for February 15, the date on which they will plead guilty.
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Source: Clarin
Mary Ortiz is a seasoned journalist with a passion for world events. As a writer for News Rebeat, she brings a fresh perspective to the latest global happenings and provides in-depth coverage that offers a deeper understanding of the world around us.