Most Colombians in Haiti went as bodyguards, others knew of assassination plan-Duque

Record ID: 1627389

  • Title: Most Colombians in Haiti went as bodyguards, others knew of assassination plan-Duque
  • Date: 16th July 2021
  • Summary: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (RECENT - JULY 8, 2021) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ALLEGED SUSPECTS BEING ESCORTED WEAPONS REPORTEDLY LINKED TO ALLEGED SUSPECTED AT MEDIA PRESENTATION
  • Embargoed: 30th July 2021 01:43
  • Keywords: Jovenel Moise
  • Location: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI / MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA
  • City: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI / MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA
  • Country: Colombia
  • Topics: South America / Central America,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA003ELYE4HZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Many of the Colombian ex-soldiers accused of participating in the assassination of Haitian president, Jovenel Moise, went to that country to work as bodyguards, but others knew they were part of a crime, said Colombia's President Ivan Duque on Thursday (July 15).
    Haitian authorities say that Moise was killed by gunshots on his house on July 7 by a group of killers that included 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans.
    18 Colombians were detained and other three were murdered by the police.
    "There are people who knew about the assassination that was going to take place. It seems that within the group, some people had received different instructions" said president Duque.
    The Colombian magazine Semana reported on Wednesday that one of the detained Colombians confessed to the Haitian authorities that seven of his co-nationals participated in the assassination of Moise. Reuters could not verify this information.
    The families and colleagues of some of the detainees have informed Colombian news outlets that the suspects were hired to work as bodyguards and that they were innocent.
    Colombia's National Police director said earlier on Thursday that they are searching for three Colombians who had been to Haiti and to the Dominican Republic. He also emphasized that the Haitian authorities were leading the investigation.
    The Pentagon's spokesperson, lieutenant colonel Ken Hoffman said that a "small number" of the detainees had received U.S. military training in the past while they were part of the Colombian army.
    This crime has sunk the already troubled Caribbean nation into chaos, amidst a surge in violence caused by gangs that within the last few months has forced thousands to leave their homes.
    (Production: Camilo Cohecha, Andres Rojas, Nina Lopez, Geraldine Downer)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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