Few countries in the world have had an unhappier history than that of Haiti, and while I won’t even try to recapitulate it all here (see the link to wikipedia for those who wish to delve deeper), the current catastrophic situation can be traced to the 2021 assassination of President Moise Jovenel, in which he was gunned down at his residence by a team of Columbian mercenaries, and his wife Martine was also shot and had to be flown to the US for medical treatment.
The question that has lingered as Haiti descended once more into utter chaos was who exactly was behind the assassination, and why. The Haitian judge currently overseeing the investigation just released an explosive report on Tuesday that promises to destabilize the situation even further. As reported in the AP:
A judge in Haiti responsible for investigating the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse has indicted his widow, Martine Moïse, ex-prime minister Claude Joseph and the former chief of Haiti’s National Police, Léon Charles, among others, according to a report obtained Monday.
The indictments are expected to further destabilize Haiti as it struggles with a surge in gang violence and recovers from a spate of violent protests demanding the resignation of current Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Dozens of suspects were indicted in the 122-page report issued by Walther Wesser Voltaire, who is the fifth judge to lead the investigation after previous ones stepped down for various reasons, including fear of being killed.
Charles, who was police chief when Moïse was killed and now serves as Haiti’s permanent representative to the Organization of the American States, faces the most serious charges: murder; attempted murder; possession and illegal carrying of weapons; conspiracy against the internal security of the state; and criminal association.
Meanwhile, Joseph and Martine Moïse, who was injured in the attack, are accused of complicity and criminal association.
… Joseph, the former prime minister, shared a statement with The Associated Press accusing Henry of “undermining” the investigation and benefitting from the president’s death.
“Henry ... is weaponizing the Haitian justice system, prosecuting political opponents like me. It’s a classic coup d’état,” Joseph said. “They failed to kill me and Martine Moïse on July 7th 2021, now they are using the Haitian justice system to advance their Machiavellian agenda.”
And yesterday, we have this statement from Martine Moise’s lawyer:
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — An attorney for Haitian President Jovenel Moïse’s widow, who was indicted in his assassination, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he believes the accusations against her are politically motivated.
U.S.-based attorney Paul Turner said he was surprised by media reports this week detailing the indictments against Martine Moïse and dozens of other suspects including the former prime minister and the ex-police chief. He also questioned whether the judge’s report is real or has been finalized, noting that Haitian government officials did not contact his client as required and that he and other attorneys are reaching out to them for clarity.
“If there is a genuine reason to talk to Martine … we can make her available if the circumstances were fair and just,” Turner said, adding that she could talk online. “Or we can meet in the U.S. where we know there’s not going to be a safety concern.”
Turner said he believes not everyone involved in the July 2021 assassination at Jovenel Moïse’s private residence has been arrested, and that Martine Moïse, who was injured in the attack, and her children still fear for their lives.
“She categorically denies any involvement," he said.
Turner also accused the administration of Prime Minister Ariel Henry of ordering the indictment.
“What do they do? They indict their perceived opposition. There is definitely a perception that she would or may run in the future,” Turner said. “Nothing else makes sense.”
He said he has never talked about politics with his client and does not know if she plans to run for office.
A spokesman for the prime minister’s office did not respond to messages asking for comment.
Haiti has repeatedly delayed holding a general election as the country battles a surge in gang violence and awaits the deployment of a U.N.-backed Kenyan police force that has been delayed by legal proceedings in the East African country.
The 122-page report issued by a Haitian judge investigating the killing noted that the former secretary general of the National Palace, Lyonel Valbrun, told authorities that he received “strong pressure” from Martine Moïse to put the president’s office at the disposal of then-prime minister Claude Joseph because he needed it to “organize a council of ministers.”
Meanwhile, we have this cheery reminder that our own MAGA-Republicans seem determined to try and sabotage just about everything they come in contact with — including aid to Haiti (from the Miami Herald editorial board):
This week, the United States will ask some of the world’s largest economies to aid Haiti. We hope there is an encouraging response.
The request to be posed on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of the powerful G20 nations comes as some Republican members of Congress continue to block a request to fund the deployment of Kenyan armed police officers to the Caribbean country, and as the fate of the mission still remains up in the air.
Last week, in a sign of hopeful progress, the United States, Haiti, and Kenya met in Washington, D.C., to plan the deployment of the Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti as the situation continues to rapidly deteriorate amid an increase in murders, kidnappings and rapes by violent gangs.
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Last year, the international community stepped in, recognized the crisis, and committed to sending a non-U.N. security force. If only it had been that simple. After Canada declined to help, Kenya stepped up, but a judge on its Nairobi High Court has blocked sending 1,000 of the East African nation’s police officers to Haiti.
Days after the U.N. Security Council approved the mission, Hamas attacked Israel. Attention shifted to that section of the world. Sending troops to Haiti and financing the mission appears to have fallen to the back burner, unfortunately.
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While the Biden administration has said U.S. military intervention is out of the question, some form of international security presence is urgently needed. No government can function adequately or address a humanitarian crisis under lawlessness.
So the question I still have is — did Martine Moise play a role in her husband’s assassination, or is she being framed for political purposes by the current Haitian government?