Assassinated Haitian President, "12 Bullet Holes Found"... 2 of the Suspects Are Americans (Summary)

"26 Suspects in Total, 6 Arrested and 7 Shot Dead"
US State Department "Unable to Confirm if Any Suspects Are Citizens"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] Haitian police have announced the arrest of six suspects in the assassination of President Jovenel Mo?se, among whom two are reported to be U.S. citizens, raising concerns about diplomatic repercussions. The U.S. government expressed a perplexed stance but stated it would actively support Haitian authorities' investigation requests.

According to foreign media including the Associated Press (AP) on the 8th (local time), L?on Charles, Chief of the Haitian National Police, said at a press conference, "Six perpetrators have been arrested, and seven were killed," adding, "We are continuing to track the remaining suspects and are searching for the masterminds behind the attack." Haitian authorities' investigation revealed that a total of 26 people participated in the assassination, and 12 bullet wounds were found on President Mo?se's body, including on his forehead and chest.

While Haitian authorities have not disclosed detailed identities of the suspects, it has been reported that among those arrested, two were U.S. citizens, sparking controversy.

Matthias Pierre, Haiti's Minister of Elections, told The Washington Post (WP) in an interview, "Two of the suspects are Haitian-American, and one of them is a man named James Solages." Solages is known to have previously worked as a security guard at the Canadian Embassy in Haiti.

The U.S. government expressed a bewildered position. Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said at a press briefing regarding reports of U.S. citizens among the assassination suspects, "We cannot confirm that U.S. citizens are included among the arrested suspects."

Within Haiti, although the assassination suspects include foreigners such as Americans, it is widely believed that the main mastermind behind the incident is likely an internal Haitian figure. Bocchit Edmond, Haiti's ambassador to the United States, told CNN in an interview, "There is no doubt that foreign assassins received assistance from inside Haiti."

President Mo?se, who took office in February 2017, was a businessman-turned-politician who managed banana export companies and auto parts firms. Since taking power, he had been embroiled in various corruption scandals and had sharp conflicts with the opposition. Robert Patton, a professor at the University of Virginia, told The New York Times (NYT), "President Mo?se had many political enemies," adding, "It is possible that some of the forces protecting the president were complicit."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.