Russia Concerned About Reports That Suspects in Haitian President's Assassination Are US Citizens

President Jovenel Moise was shot dead in his private residence on Wednesday morning, and his wife was injured in the attack. The Haitian police have reportedly identified 28 suspected perpetrators.

Russia is seriously concerned by reports that those arrested on suspicion of killing the President of Haiti Jovenel Moise have US citizenship, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova.

Moscow expects that not only the perpetrators, but also the masterminds of the killing will be found, said Zakharova on Friday. The spokeswoman underscored the concerns of the Russian leadership that the internal conflict in Haiti may be manipulated by external players to serve geopolitical purposes.

Suspects in the assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moise are shown to the media, along with the weapons and equipment they allegedly used in the attack, at the General Direction of the police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, July 8, 2021.

© AP Photo / Joseph Odelyn

The Russian Foreign Ministry denounced the audacious and demonstrative killing of the President of Haiti.

Moscow is closely following the investigation into the assassination of Jovenel Moise, which it believes happened as a result of internal instability in the country, said Maria Zakharova at the press briefing.

Jovenel Moise, who had ruled Haiti since 2016, was shot dead in his private residence outside Port-au-Prince on the morning of 7 July. His wife sustained injuries in the attack. The Haitian police are reported to have identified 28 individuals suspected of being involved in the assassination, most of them Colombian citizens. Law enforcement also apprehended 17 suspects, including two Haitian-born US citizens, who have been identified as James Solages and Joseph Vincent.

Two men, accused of being involved in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, are being transported to the Petionville station in a police car in Port au Prince on July 8, 2021

© AFP 2023 / VALERIE BAERISWYL

Earlier, two US citizens who were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder of President Jovenel Moise said that he was not supposed to be eliminated, Justice of the Peace Clement Noel was cited as saying by Nouvelliste newspaper.

"They said that they were translators. The mercenaries' goal was to arrest President Moise under the warrant of an investigating magistrate, and not kill him," said Noel, citing the suspect's testimonies.

A search of the suspects' vehicles by investigators revealed firearms and US cash, including a server of a video camera that was installed in Moise's residence, added the official.

Currently, acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph remains the country's de facto leader. Joseph earlier declared a two-week-long state of emergency, endowing police with wide-ranging powers to hunt down the murderers. A 15-day period of mourning for the slain president has also been announced.