More suspects arrested in assassination of Haitian president

HAITIAN AUTHORITIES have made more arrests in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, raiding Taiwan’s Embassy where several suspects are believed to have sought refuge, while also detaining two Haitian-Americans and several former Colombian soldiers allegedly tied to the plot.

In all, 17 suspects have been detained and another eight are being sought, according to National Police Chief Léon Charles.

“We are going to bring them to justice,”the police chief said as the 17 handcuffed suspects sat on the floor during a news conference Thursday.

Moïse’s brazen killing at his home in an attack before dawn Wednesday that also seriously wounded his wife stunned a nation already reeling from poverty, widespread violence and political instability.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, who assumed leadership with the backing of police and the military, declared a two-week “state of siege”, and asked people to return to work and reopen businesses that were shut down in normally bustling Port-au-Prince. He also ordered the international airport to reopen.

Colombia’s government said it had been asked by Haiti about six of the suspects, including two of the three killed, and had determined they were retired members of its army. It offered its full cooperation.

“A team was formed with the best investigators,” said General Jorge Luis Vargas, the head of Colombia’s police. “They are going to send dates, flight times, financial information that is already being collected to be sent to Port-au-Prince.”

HEAVILY RECRUITED

US-trained Colombian soldiers are heavily recruited by private security firms in global conflict zones because of their experience in a decades-long war against leftist rebels and powerful drug cartels.

The US State Department said it was aware of reports that Haitian-Americans were in custody, but would not comment.

Meanwhile, Taiwan’s Embassy in Port-au-Prince said Haitian police had arrested 11 individuals who tried to break into the Taiwanese Embassy early Thursday. It gave no details of their identities or a reason for the break-in, but in a statement referred to the men as “mercenaries” and strongly condemned the “cruel and barbaric assassination” of Moïse.

“As for whether the suspects were involved in the assassination of the president of Haiti, that will need to be investigated by the Haitian police,” Foreign Affairs spokesperson Joanne Ou told The Associated Press in Taipei.

Police were alerted by embassy security guards while Taiwanese diplomats were working from home. The Taiwanese foreign ministry said some doors and windows were broken, but there was no other damage.