Jury selection is set to commence on Monday in Miami for the federal trial of five individuals linked to the assassination of Haiti’s former president, Jovenel Moïse. This high-profile case involves serious charges stemming from the events of July 7, 2021, when Moïse was fatally attacked at his residence near Port-au-Prince.
### Charges Against the Defendants
The defendants—Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, Christian Sanon, and James Solages—are accused of conspiring in South Florida to kidnap or kill Moïse. In addition to these primary charges, they are facing related accusations, and each of them has entered a plea of not guilty. The potential penalties for these charges include life imprisonment.
The scheduled trial has already experienced delays; it was originally slated to occur last year. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra authorized the postponement due to complications related to evidence discovery and the extensive volume of evidence that must be reviewed.
### Background of the Assassination
Moïse was attacked during a raid on his home, which involved approximately two dozen mercenaries, predominantly from Colombia. During the incident, his wife, Martine Moïse, suffered injuries and was subsequently taken to the U.S. for emergency medical treatment.
Court documents reveal that South Florida acted as a strategic hub for planning and financing the plot against Moïse. The conspirators orchestrated meetings in South Florida as early as April 2021, during which they discussed their intentions to replace Moïse with a candidate of their choosing.
### Involvement of Key Figures
Among the accused, Ortiz and Intriago have been identified as principal actors within the Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy and its affiliated security firm, collectively known as CTU. Veintemilla is associated with Worldwide Capital Lending Group, both of which are based in South Florida.
Sanon, who holds dual citizenship in Haiti and the United States, was initially positioned by the conspirators to fill the presidential role following Moïse’s ousting. Solages, representing CTU in Haiti, coordinated actions with Sanon and other participants in the conspiracy.
According to investigators, the plans included agreements that once Sanon assumed power, he would allocate infrastructure contracts, security projects, and military equipment procurement to CTU. Worldwide Capital was reportedly involved in funding the coup, providing a $175,000 line of credit to CTU and facilitating monetary transfers to assist the acquisition of ammunition by co-conspirators in Haiti.
### Strategic Shift in Leadership Selection
As the timeline progressed, the conspirators reassessed their choices. By June 2021, they determined that Sanon lacked the necessary qualifications and popular backing to assume the presidency. Consequently, they shifted their support to Wendelle Coq Thélot, a former judge of Haiti’s Superior Court. Thélot, however, passed away in January 2025 while still a fugitive.
Additional legal proceedings have already culminated in penalties for five other individuals who pleaded guilty to related conspiracy charges and are currently serving life sentences. A sixth suspect, who allegedly remained unaware of the assassination plot but aided the conspirators by furnishing body armor, received a nine-year sentence after a guilty plea.
### Broader Implications and Ongoing Investigation
In total, eleven individuals have been apprehended and prosecuted in the U.S. related to the assassination plot. Meanwhile, authorities in Haiti are pursuing charges against an additional twenty individuals, including seventeen Colombian nationals with military training and three Haitian officials. However, the broader investigation in Haiti has encountered significant obstacles due to rampant gang violence, threats of violence, and a fractured judicial system.
As the trial moves forward, it is likely to draw substantial attention given the international implications of the assassination and its impact on Haiti’s political landscape. The judicial proceedings may provide further insights into the complex web of conspiracies and motivations behind the events that led to the sudden and violent death of the former president, as well as the ongoing challenges faced by Haitian authorities in delivering justice.
Source: Original Reporting
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