Michael Cardinal, FISM News
On Sunday, Haitian authorities announced that they had arrested 63-year-old Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a Florida based Haitian man, who they believe to be one of the masterminds behind the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
Sanon is reported to have flown into the country in June and had hired the several of the 26 Colombian suspects that carried out the assassination as a personal security detail. Eighteen of the Columbian suspects have been arrested along with two other Haitian-Americans who claim to have only been interpreters for the mercenaries.
Haiti’s National Police Chief Léon Charles told the press that Sanon had plans to take over as the president of the Caribbean country, which could be the possible motive behind the attack. Charles also indicated that there were at least two other masterminds behind the attack that Sanon had been in contact with since the assassination unfolded. He declined to name the other two possible ring-leaders.
During the press conference Charles said, “the mission of these attackers was initially to ensure the safety of Emmanuel Sanon, but later the mission was changed…and they presented one of the attackers with an arrest warrant for the president of the republic.”
When police officers conducted a raid of Sanon’s home they found a hat with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) logo on it, along with several boxes of ammunition. Videos that surfaced of the brazen attack, show the suspects announcing themselves as DEA agents before carrying out the assassination. Some of the arrested suspects have claimed that the purpose of the raid was only meant to arrest the sitting president. However, the fact that Moise was shot 12 times and his wife was shot multiple times indicates that something went terribly wrong during the arrest or that this claim is false.
Sanon has an active YouTube channel where he posted videos discussing the “corruption of politics” in Haiti and his potential as a leader for the country. He promoted himself as a doctor and had most recently lived in south Florida and had previously lived in Kansas City, Missouri.
The arrest comes amidst the Biden administration’s decision not to send troops to help during the political upheaval, despite the countries plea for help. Instead a delegation of members representing the Justice Department, Homeland Security, and the National Security Council was sent to assess the situation.
Several gangs also began to increase activity as there are several who are vying for power in the country. Shots could be heard throughout the crime-ravaged capital city of Port-Au-Prince over the weekend highlighting the volatility of the country.