Tensions continue in Haiti: Chief of Staff resigns and accuses prime minister of not “collaborating with justice”

The Secretary General of the Haitian Council of Ministers, Renald Lubérice resigned on Wednesday after criticizing the Haitian prime minister, Ariel Henry, who is being investigated in the context of the assassination of President Jovenel Moise for not “collaborating with Justice.”

Lubérice announced his resignation in a letter sent to the Council of Ministers, in which he justified his resignation from the suspects that Ariel Henry may have been involved in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise, perpetrated on July 7 last year.

“I cannot remain in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers under the direction of a person appointed by Jovenel Moise who has been charged in his murder“And he has no intention of cooperating with Justice,” Lubérice said in a statement he also shared on his Twitter account.

The Port-au-Prince Bed-ford Claude prosecutor asked this Tuesday to charge Henry in the case of the murder of Moses, which it earned him the removal of the prime minister under the justification of “serious administrative misconduct.”

However, the letter in which he communicated the decision was dated Monday, September 13, a day before Claude forbade Henry from leaving the country, so sources close to the prime minister have pointed out that this measure would be without effect as it was taken after the removal.

The prosecutor substantiated his suspicions in reports from an NGO claiming that Henry held two telephone conversations with one of the main suspects in organizing the murder, Joseph Felix Badio, just hours after the crime.

Despite the suspicions, The prosecutor was not empowered to request the investigation or subpoena of any person involved, as the case of the murder is in the hands of investigating judge Garry Orélien, who is the only authority with power to conduct the investigation.

Some Haitian media said that Henry dismissed Lubérice and also the Minister of Justice, Rockefeller Vincent, In the course of the same Cabinet in which he resigned from the prosecutor, held on Monday, but this information has not been officially confirmed.

The dismissal of the Minister of Justice was one of the demands made by some opposition parties as a condition for signing a political agreement, which was signed last Saturday.

The agreement, signed by the Prime Minister and several opposition parties, it envisages the postponement of the elections and the formation of a new non-partisan government, which would assume power until the appointment with the polls.

Moise was assassinated on July 7 by an order of Colombian mercenaries hired by a Miami security company run by a Venezuelan.

So far, 44 people have been arrested, including some twenty former Colombian soldiers and five citizens of Haitian and American nationality, as well as several police officers.. None of the president’s security guards were injured in the attack.

Henry had already been asked to appear to be questioned in the case to give explanations about the alleged conversations he had a few hours after Moses ’assassination with a former government official wanted in connection with the assassination.

Friday, Claude had asked Henry to show up on Tuesday to answer questions about the calls.

the police continues to actively seek out former official Joseph Felix Badio, who worked in the anti-corruption unit of the Ministry of Justice.

(With information from Europa Press and EFE)

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