Haiti says foreign suspects behind president's death

At least 28 people have been confirmed to be involved in Haitian President Jovenel Moise's assassination, including two US citizens, police chief Leon Charles said on Thursday. 

"We have arrested 15 Colombians and the two Americans of Haitian origin. Three Colombians have been killed while eight others are on the loose," Charles said. 

The police chief paraded the 17 suspects before reporters, showing a number of Colombian passports, assault rifles, machetes, walkie-talkies and materials including bolt cutters and hammers.

"We will strengthen our investigation and search techniques to intercept the other eight mercenaries," Charles added.

Colombia says suspects were ex-soldiers

Colombia's government said at least six of the people suspected of involvement in the assassination were retired members of its army.

Colombian Defense Minister Diego Molano said he had ordered the army and police to help with the investigation.

Meanwhile, the US State Department said it was in contact with Haitian officials and was aware of the reports of US citizens being arrested but could not confirm or comment as yet.

One of the Haitian-Americans arrested had previously worked as a bodyguard for the Canadian Embassy in Haiti.

Canada's foreign relations department released a statement confirming that one of the US suspects, whom it did not mention by name, had been "briefly employed as a reserve bodyguard" at its embassy by a private contractor.

Suspects hidden inside Taiwan Embassy

The Taiwanese government on Friday said the Haitian police had been granted permission to enter the office of its embassy in Port au Prince to arrest some armed suspects who had earlier snuck into the building.

"The police launched an operation around 4 p.m. GMT and successfully arrested 11 suspects. The process went smoothly," the embassy said in a statement in French, on its website.

"The embassy welcomes the rapid response of the Haitian authorities and continues, as always, to work alongside the Haitian people," it said.

Power vacuum in Haiti

The assassination of Moise at his private residence on Wednesday has plunged the country of 11 million people into crisis. It has left a power vacuum, with no president or parliament, and two men claiming to be the prime minister.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph had been scheduled to leave his post within days, to be replaced by neurosurgeon Ariel Henry. The late president had announced that transition the day before his assassination.

Günther Maihold, an expert on Latin America and organized crime at German Institute for International and Security Affairs, told DW that "there is no clear institutional way out of this challenge."

The country lacks a strong opposition that could take over and resolve the crisis. "There are a lot of opposition groups, and that's a main problem, they are fractured and incapable of forming a national consensus," Maihold said.

He also doubts that the international community will want to get involved, which leaves few prospects for the Caribbean country.

Moise became Haiti's president in February 2017. Increased fuel prices first ignited protests against the government in 2018, with demonstrations continuing throughout 2019 and 2020 due to Haiti's economic problems and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Many of the protesters called for the resignation of Moise, who refused to step down.

UN special envoy backs Joseph

UN Special Envoy to Haiti Helen La Lime said on Thursday that Prime Minister Joseph will lead the Caribbean nation until new elections are held. 

She called on all sides in Haiti to deescalate tensions.

"Stakeholders need to set aside their differences and to chart a common way forward and overcome this difficult moment in a peaceful manner," La Lime told reporters in New York in virtual remarks after a UN Security Council meeting on the situation.

La Lime said Joseph assured her that he would hold first round parliamentary and presidential elections in September, with a second round taking place in November.

The UN envoy said the Security Council had discussed a request from Haiti for more security assistance. La Lime said that in regard to the aid, "Haiti needs to specify exactly what it is that they're after."

adi, wd/sms (AP, AFP, Reuters)