Trial Begins for Jovenel Moïse Assassination

The trial in Miami has begun for four men charged in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Prosecutors allege that Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages conspired in South Florida to kidnap or kill Moïse, driven by greed and a desire for power. Ortiz and Intriago were principals of Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy, while Veintemilla was a principal of Worldwide Capital Lending Group, which allegedly financed the plot. Solages was a Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy representative in Haiti. The conspirators initially planned to replace Moïse with Christian Sanon, a dual Haitian-U.S. citizen, promising contracts to Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy. Defense attorneys argue their clients were manipulated and believed they were involved in a lawful arrest, pointing to Joseph Félix Badio as the true mastermind. The assassination led to significant turmoil in Haiti, with ongoing gang violence and a stalled judicial system.