Haitian police have previously stated that at least six ex-soldiers are among 26 Colombians accused of being behind the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
In addition, the death squad allegedly consisted of two Americans of Haitian origin. They acted as interpreters for the perpetrators, according to a Haitian judge in the investigation team. He believes the original plan was to capture the president – not kill him.
Two of the suspected Colombian ex-soldiers have been killed by Haitian police, Colombian police director Jorge Luis Vargas said on Friday. The other 15 may have belonged to the Colombian army until 2018-2020, he adds.
Hunting backers
Haiti’s police chief Léon Charles has previously said that three Colombian members of the death squad were killed by police, while 17 were imprisoned. Eight others are at large. The figures differ somewhat from previous information provided by Haitian authorities.
Little is known about the motive for the attack, in which armed men broke into the president’s residence. The president was killed by a dozen shots, while his wife was wounded and taken to a hospital in Florida.
The perpetrators have been caught, according to the authorities, who say they are now hunting for the brains behind the attack.
Experienced soldiers
Private security companies have recruited many US-trained Colombian soldiers into conflict areas around the world. They are sought after due to many years of experience in the fight against guerrillas and powerful drug cartels.
According to the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo, one of the country’s most experienced soldiers is among those arrested. Another is said to have been in the army for 20 years before, according to his wife, he was recruited by a security company that rents out bodyguards. The man is already under investigation for his alleged role in liquidations carried out by the Colombian army over ten years ago.
According to Vargas, two of the suspected Colombians flew from Bogotá to Panama on May 6, and from there to Santo Domingo, the capital of Haiti’s neighboring Dominican Republic. They stayed there for four days before flying on to Haiti. The other Colombians traveled to Port-au-Prince from Santo Domingo on June 6, according to the police director.
Four companies
Colombian authorities say they are sitting on information about four companies that have been involved in the assassination, without going into detail. President Ivan Duque is sending an intelligence team to Haiti to assist in the investigation.
The United States will send an investigation team to Haiti as soon as possible. The White House stated this on Friday. The Americans also warn that they will send coronary vaccines to the country next week. The poor Caribbean country has not yet started vaccinating.
Ruled by decree
The assassination attempt on the president has shaken Haiti, which is struggling with high poverty, violence and political unrest.
The country has become increasingly unstable under Moïse, who has ruled by decree for over a year.
Last week, the UN Security Council asked Haiti to hold elections as soon as possible.
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