Thread by @j2dumfounded

Some of those involved in the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse were confidential informants to the DEA, CNN reports.

cnn.com/2021/07/12/ame…

As rumors and speculation swirl, I am going to share my view.

Given the phenomenal corruption in Haiti, there is at least a 10% likelihood that the Haitian authorities could be lying about Sanon.

Could he be fingered falsely to misdirect investigation?
It’s conceivable.

First off, Haitians themselves are skeptical, as the NYT reports.

“Haitians at home and in the large diaspora have been more than a little skeptical about the government’s account of what happened.”

nytimes.com/2021/07/12/wor…

I’m a little skeptical, too.

If Sanon were planning to run for office, wouldn’t he have a bigger media presence?

His defunct website from 2010 and the only press mention, as a *literal sidebar* in Baylor’s article about Andrew Oerke from 2011 don’t give the impression he was.

Factor in that the man in charge of security, Dimitri Hérard, let down his guard (at best) and is now being investigated.

https://twitter.com/jakobjohnston/status/1413574611254579203

When James Solages was identified as a perpetrator, “Within moments of the name making news, scores of Haitians said on social media that Solages used to work as a security guard for both Reginald Boulos & Dimitri Vorbe, two of Moise’s opponents.”

haitiantimes.com/2021/07/08/hai…

Reginald Boulos’ PR team denied this.

What is undeniable is that Boulos has hired at least 3 lobbyists in the last 18 months, one just a few days ago.

Which is kinda what you would expect a guy running for president to do.

See FARA.gov for 6788, 6963, & 6977.

Mr. Boulos is insanely wealthy, a successful entrepreneur who owns supermarkets, car dealerships, and a hotel. I’m not saying he’s the mastermind, but I AM saying he’s far better positioned to run for president than Sanon.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_…

Today, I read a story about Haiti’s power vacuum. Here’s a story from 2019 about the same topic. apnews.com/article/econom…

Everyone knows Moïse was a hot mess of corruption, his company Agritrans paid for what and PetroCaribe funds siphoned where? #PetroCaribeChallenge

This is the NYT July 10, 2021 story on Haiti’s power vacuum.

nytimes.com/2021/07/10/wor…

Claude Joseph, who had been Prime Minister, was actually fired two days before the assassination, replaced by Ariel Henry.

But now the quorum-less Senate wants Joseph Lambert to be president.

All these people grasping for the reins of power as the people of Haiti endure corrupt politicians, corrupt police, and a ruthless & entrenched organization of mob groups terrorizing the streets, but Sanon is the culprit?

I’m sorry, this just Does. Not. Pass. The. Smell. Test.

If anything, I would be concerned about Christian Sanon’s well being, @RepAndyLevin.

It’s not like torture and extrajudicial executions are unknown in Haiti. FFS, 4 people are BEING KIDNAPPED DAILY this year. Prison conditions are horrific.

hrw.org/news/2021/06/3…

Going to close up by saying that very few concerned with democracy & rule of law will mourn Moïse. Haiti has grown more lawless every month, so it’s hard to imagine he was planning a peaceful transfer of power, witness the Senate w/ only 10 of 30 seated due to no elections held.

That being said, the assassination of a president and the resulting chaos mark a new low in Haiti’s history, even more reprehensible than how Aristide was run out on the rails, twice.

I truly hope some greater good can emerge from the ashes, not a slide into more criminality.

Day Two of this thread begins with an update, Reuters reporting it is ONE not SEVERAL confidential informants, ⭐️ as CONFIRMED by a DEA official ⭐️

https://twitter.com/reuters/status/1414889841960136717

The man was not a CI at the time Moïse was gunned down, the spokesperson said.

What I find very troubling in this reporting is that two Senators have been brought in for questioning. At this point, Haiti has only not 10 Senators, not the 30 that should be in government.

Eight of the 10 senators voted recently to choose Joseph Lambert as the acting president. While right now I have NO idea if the two detained are those who did not support the Lambert vote, my hunch is that the Claude Joseph faction is warring with the Ariel Henry/Lambert faction.

Day Three 🧵
Yesterday’s NYT article reveals that CTU’s Tony Intriago had “a history of debt, evictions and bankruptcies.”
We get deeper glimpse into security head Hérard; makes me wonder if he was involved w/ narcotraficantes in Colombia.

nytimes.com/2021/07/13/wor…

The former DEA confidential informant involved in the assassination of Haitian president Moïse is identified as Joseph Vincent.

thehill.com/policy/interna…

As the United States assesses its potential role in aiding Haiti following the assassination, the man identified by Leon Charles as the culprit, Sanon, maintains his innocence.

cnn.com/2021/07/14/ame…

AP just reposted a story from earlier today that I’d missed, busy with IRL concerns. This should surprise no one, that Tony Intriago’s CTU security is under scrutiny.

https://twitter.com/AP/status/1415554339842691073

Police chief Leon Charles says one suspect is former senator John Joël Joseph and accuses him of providing weapons to the assassination squad. The former senator is a member of the opposition party Tet Kale. He accused Moïse of infecting Haiti with insecurity.

Another suspect is Gilbert Dragon, the police chief says. Dragon belongs to,the National Revolutionary Front for the Liberation & Reconstruction of Haiti, an opposition party.

“Authorities said they found several weapons at his house, including a saber, two grenades & an AR-15.”

Reynaldo Corvington has been arrested. His company, of Corvington Courier & Security Service, helps people survive kidnappings (of which 4 occur daily in 2021).

James Solange used to work as a bodyguard for the wealthy. Perhaps they were previously business colleagues.

Wanted suspect Joseph Felix BAIDO was fired from his job at the Ministry of Justice’s anti-corruption unit in May.

Charles accuses him of renting a home near Moïse’s to help the squad surveil the area.

AP does not name the four “high-ranking officials” in charge of Moïse’s securiy detail who are detained.

They are seeking convicted cocaine smuggler Rodolphe “Whiskey” JAAR, who has been a confidential source for the USG, presumably after 2000 and well before 2015.

“Authorities in Haiti are investigating Moïse’s killing with help from Colombia’s government, which has said at least 18 former Colombian soldiers suspected in the slaying have been arrested and remain detained in Haiti.”

Here is a photo of the Colombian president, Ivan DUQUE, with Tony Intriago of CTU Security, who hired all the Colombians and Haitian-Americans, at a Florida fundraiser in 2018.

colombiareports.com/colombias-pres…

AP closes up with he allegations against Sanon, whom police say flew down with the squad on a private jet last month.

Two Floridians say Sanon is religious & nonviolent. One believes Sanon was duped, describing him as “completely gullible.”

This supports my patsy theory.

Sanon says he knew nothing of the plot or weapons.

cnn.com/2021/07/14/ame…

Sanon also “told police that he was a Christian pastor, and emphasized that the building was neither his home nor his property, the source said.”

Tomorrow I hope to say a few things about police chief Léon Chrarles, but now 😴

DAY FOUR 🧵 on Haiti

Can this dark moment for Haiti mark the dawning of a new era?

Activists hope so.

https://twitter.com/RepAndyLevin/status/1415406318605713408

A step in the right direction, as Haiti begins to receive covid vaccines from the USA.

https://twitter.com/powerusaid/status/1415758194044018697

Biden tells Haiti that sending US troops is not on the agenda.

https://twitter.com/AP/status/1415790759463292931

¡Muy interesante!

Reports that acting president Claude Joseph and fugitive senator Joseph Joël John were the true authors of plot to kill Moïse.

https://twitter.com/noticiascaracol/status/1415492493286707200

Police chief says plotters met in Dominican Republic.

france24.com/en/live-news/2…

“A photograph circulating on social media identifies two suspects -- both later arrested -- meeting former Haitian opposition senator Joel John Joseph, who is wanted by police.”

More pull quotes from France24 story:

“Police accuse Solages -- one of two Haitian-Americans implicated in the killing -- of coordinating with Venezuelan security firm CTU, whose chief can be seen in the photograph & who allegedly visited Haiti several times to plan the attack.

“Florida-based financial services company Worldwide Capital Lending Group funded the attack, Charles said, adding that its boss Walter Veintemilla also appears with plotters.”

OMFG, Worldwide Capital Lending Group admits to funding Sanon and CTU, but state they did not know the purpose was to assassinate Moïse.

haitiantimes.com/2021/07/15/wor…

NYT quote:

“The suspects had been working together for months, portraying themselves in grandiose and often exaggerated terms as well-financed, well-connected power brokers ready to lead a new Haiti with influential American support behind them.”

nytimes.com/2021/07/15/wor…

Screenshot & chaser. 🥃🙄

“At the time of the meetings he was, we all believed, going to become a prime minister,” said Mr. Duverger, adding that Mr. Sanon had presented himself as having the support of Democratic and Republican politicians in the United States.”

How can Sanon be the mastermind if he called the “intellectual authors”? 🤨

I wonder if those “authors” clued Sanon in on their plan to assassinate Moïse or whether he was so gullible that they are simply sacrificing him like a rook?

washingtonpost.com/investigations…

“Haitian authorities claimed that [Sanon] was called by suspects fleeing the president’s home on the night of the July 7 assassination, and that Sanon in turn contacted two unnamed men whom Haitian police describe as “intellectual authors” of the assassination plot.”

Fall guy?

Very odd detail in this Washington post reporting. They say the photo that police chief Leon Charles showed at the press conference and attributed to taking place in Dominican Republic, is actually in Fort Lauderdale.

Has @bellingcat weighed in?

Seems kind of sloppy. 😒

Another detail that’s been bothering me is the correct surname of one of the so-called “intellectual authors”.

His LinkedIn profile shows JOHN in all caps, but Leon Charles has JOSEPH all in caps.

Day Five of this Haiti 🧵

Many interesting developments in the last 24 hours:
1. Baido gave orders to Colombians to kill Moise
2. Herard was detained; 4 security people grounded
3. Aristide returns from Cuba
4. BREAKING: SANON WAS ABANDONED days before hit job.

Details follow.

NYT reporting Colombian police chief General Vargas disclosed Joseph Felix BADIO ordered ex-special forces Duberney Capador & Germán Alejandro Rivera Garcia, “that “what they had to do was assassinate the president of Haiti.”

Badio is on the lam now.

nytimes.com/2021/07/16/wor…

Originally, the plan was to arrest the president of Haiti, but at some point later the Colombian mercenaries employed by CTU (both of whom had had training with US forces during their career) were given a new mission.

On Thursday, Haitian police detained Dimitri Hérard, the head of security. The security detail had all walked away when the murder squad told them to get out of there.
Now, other top security officials are under scrutiny & under a travel ban.

washingtonpost.com/world/2021/07/…

Hérard has been “removed from his position” (aka fired) and those being investigated are: “Léandre Pierre Osmann, principal inspector & head of the presidential security unit; Amazan Paul Eddy, a team manager; & Jean Laguel Civil, general coordinator of presidential security.”

WaPo offers a bit more info on the Colombian mercenaries, “Elite Colombian soldiers have trained at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida with the 7th Special Forces Group, which specializes in training and development of partner forces throughout the Western Hemisphere.”

Our tax $.

Meanwhile, as if things were not already chaotic enough, former president Aristide has returned from Cuba where he had been receiving medical treatment. Lavalas supporters were ecstatic.

stripes.com/theaters/ameri…

Guy with a selfie stick documents the jubilation; it’s a dance party.

https://twitter.com/acrossmediums/status/1416165215838773250

Breaking from Kevin Hall: SANON CALLED A PAL FOUR DAYS BEFORE THE SQUAD KILLED MOISE, SAYING HE HAD BEEN ABANDONED BY HIS BODYGUARDS.

miamiherald.com/news/nation-wo…

GREAT LEDE:
“Four days before the assassination of Haiti’s president plunged the impoverished nation into chaos, Dr. Christian Sanon made a frantic call to a trusted friend back in Florida.”

He’d been abandoned.

“He [Sanon] relayed that he’d been abruptly abandoned by the Colombian bodyguards hired to protect him in the land he hoped one day to lead.”

See, I told you *days ago*, that Sanon is the NOT the guy who plotted this murder. If this doesn’t help prove my thesis, what will?

New detail: “Sanon & his followers in Haiti & Florida sent around a decree two months before the assassination in an attempt to convince the U.S. State Department & members of the congressional Black Caucus to recognize Sanon as an interim leader of Haiti."

Was this megalomania or realistic?

“A pastor, Sanon believed that his efforts would be blessed by a popular uprising of evangelical Christians. In Haiti, evangelicals had been leading mass protests demanding the ouster of Moïse.

Read more here: miamiherald.com/news/nation-wo…

Mr. Denis thought it was merde:

“I took him for a bluffer,” said opposition leader Paul Denis, who said Sanon came up and introduced himself after a meeting with several pastors. Denis said the two never had any relationship, and he didn’t take Sanon seriously.”

Point very well taken, ““What you have there now is a bunch of racketeers and criminals. You have to call them that,” Duverger, a former government functionary, said.”

Plotting a new course for Haiti on Zoom calls. 😒

I guess all the meetings this last year have been Zoom calls, which I should point out leaves you open to surveillance by the Red Army, folks.

Really not a good idea, especially when things backfire so spectacularly; just sayin’

Miami Herald also reports that a Colombian, Gabriel “the colonel” Perez, was the point man between CTU’s Intriago and the mercenaries from Colombia.

The Zoom calls, chaired by Christian Sanon were weekly affairs, the “Strategy Group” discussing economic, social, and development issues.

They also met in South Florida IRL on May 12. Some guy got on the phone saying that their efforts were supported by the US State Dept. & DOJ.

Another update on Haitian security personnel, “Charles said 24 of the police officers assigned to the president’s security detail have been summoned by internal affairs for questioning, “and 24 of them have been sanctioned for now.”

Totally off-topic, but I continue to find this tweet from Kevin Hall sharing perhaps the single most underrated story of modern times, on the free Hollywood mansion that Trump bought, fascinating.

It features two of my favorite villains, Elliott #Client2 Broidy & Yuri Vanetik.

https://twitter.com/kevinghall/status/984506881648492545

Christian Sanon thought he could lead an evangelical overturn of Haiti’s government, but somehow the squad that was supposed to be guarding him ditched the pastor. He’s not the “mastermind”, full stop.

Anywhoo, that’s a wrap for this thread, today.

Day Six Haiti 🧵

This footage of US investigators leaving Moïse’s residence from AFP yesterday is interesting.

https://twitter.com/afp/status/1416115417203068928

The FBI removed at least one computer and several boxes from Moïse’s private residence.

He’s the victim. But I’m sure there will be some useful information.

Maybe we can establish why he fired prime minister Claude Joseph two days before his murder. 🤷‍♀️

Um, not clear to me why AFP reports that the company who hired the mercenaries was a “Venezuelan security firm”. CTU is managed by a Venezuelan-American out of Florida, Tony Intriago.