A federal jury in Miami convicted four men on Friday for their roles in the 2021 assassination plot that led to the killing of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, a crime that plunged Haiti deeper into political instability and violence.
The convicted men — Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla and James Solages — were found guilty of conspiring to kill or kidnap the Haitian leader, providing material support for the operation and violating the U.S. Neutrality Act. Prosecutors said the defendants could face life sentences.
Receive breaking news alerts
Immigration, New York, Dominican Republic and investigative news delivered directly to your phone and computer.
Free — unsubscribe anytime.
According to U.S. authorities, South Florida served as a key hub for planning and financing the operation aimed at removing Moïse from power and replacing him with a leader favored by the conspirators.
Federal prosecutors argued during the trial that the group expected to gain political influence and financial benefits under a new Haitian government. U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones said the defendants “pursued power, influence, and profit through violence,” adding that the conspiracy destabilized a friendly nation and ended with the murder of a sitting president.
Moïse was assassinated on July 7, 2021, when a group of armed foreign mercenaries, most of them former Colombian soldiers, stormed his private residence near Port-au-Prince. His wife, Martine Moïse, was seriously wounded in the attack and later transported to the United States for medical treatment.
Martine Moïse became the first witness in the Miami trial, which began in March. Through a Creole interpreter, she described waking up shortly after midnight to the sound of gunfire and asking her husband what was happening.
“Honey, we are dead,” Jovenel Moïse replied, according to her testimony.
Investigators identified Ortiz and Intriago as principals of Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy and Counter Terrorist Unit Security, known collectively as CTU, both based in South Florida. Veintemilla was linked to Worldwide Capital Lending Group, another Florida-based company allegedly connected to the conspiracy.
Authorities said the plot initially centered around Christian Sanon, a Haitian-American doctor and pastor whom conspirators allegedly hoped to install as Haiti’s new leader. Prosecutors said Solages acted as a CTU representative in Haiti and coordinated directly with Sanon and other participants. Sanon is expected to face trial separately at a later date.
Defense attorneys argued that the defendants believed they were participating in a legitimate mission backed by a Haitian judicial warrant and claimed the men were manipulated into taking responsibility for what they described as an internal political coup.
At least five other defendants have already pleaded guilty in connection with the assassination and are currently serving life sentences in the United States.
Separately, Haitian authorities continue to pursue charges against 20 suspects, including 17 former Colombian soldiers. However, gang violence, death threats and the collapse of Haiti’s judicial system have severely delayed the ongoing investigation inside the country.
Comments (0)
Be the first to join the conversation.