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On February 17th, a group of 8 individuals, 5 of whom US citizens, carrying weapons were arrested in Haiti. Initial reports claimed that the group was comprised of 7 Americans and 1 Haitian.
Video of 7 US citizens and a Haitian being held at main police station in downtown PAP, #Haiti. They were detained after a cache of automatic weapons, communications equipment and several license plates were found in their vehicles. Why they were stopped is unknown. pic.twitter.com/YvCxaULWIo
— HaitiInfoProject ? (@HaitiInfoProj) February 18, 2019
However, Haitian Foreign Minister Bocchit Edmond confirmed that the group consists of 5 US citizens, 2 other foreigners and 1 Haitian citizen.
Haiti’s police chief, Michel-Ange Gédéon, told CNN the eight individuals are being held for possession of illegal weapons.
CNN also cited local authorities, who claimed the group was arrested on conspiracy charges, but the foreign minister did not provide a comment on the issue.
In an interview with CNN, Gédéon said the individuals arrested were in possession of automatic weapons, pistols, satellite phones and drones. Gédéon said the people were taken into custody while in suspicious cars without license plates.
The US State Department issued a statement Monday confirming arrests by the Haitian National Police of “a group of individuals, including some US citizens.”
“When US citizens are arrested overseas we seek Consular Access as soon as possible and provide appropriate Consular assistance as provided by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.”
On February 14th, the US State Department also issued a Level 4 “Do not travel” travel advisory for Haiti, citing “crime and civil unrest” and “widespread, violent, and unpredictable demonstrations in Port-au-Prince and elsewhere in Haiti.”
It also ordered all “non-emergency US personnel and their families” to leave Haiti, saying the country has “limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in Haiti.”
“Protests, tire burning and road blockages are frequent and unpredictable,” the advisory stated.
“Violent crime, such as armed robbery, is common. Local police may lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents, and emergency response, including ambulance service, is limited or non-existent.”
Haiti Info Project also reported that according to Popular Democratic Sector the arrested individuals are part of a team of mercenaries hired by Haitian President Moise Jovenel and working with USPGN to extinguish protests.
Popular Democratic Sector in #Haiti convinced these are part of the team of mercenaries hired by @moisejovenel and working with USGPN to extinguish protests. https://t.co/e5POv9nmpd pic.twitter.com/0p9z2x9kQ6
— HaitiInfoProject ? (@HaitiInfoProj) February 18, 2019
The twitter account also presumably got threatened after posting the report of the arrested alleged mercenaries.
Not sure if this was meant to be an implied threat. It was sent shortly after we first published photos of passports of US citizens arrested in #Haiti after receiving from contact in police about 16 hours ago. pic.twitter.com/NRWnxtxf3k
— HaitiInfoProject ? (@HaitiInfoProj) February 18, 2019
One of the individuals is a Serbian citizen, and according to Haiti Info Project there is no Russian individual part of the group, despite some reports.
We did not see a Russian passport among the group. @Ameliebaron can you confirm you saw a Russian passport. Your org. was cited as source. https://t.co/0SsqFGYHze
— HaitiInfoProject ? (@HaitiInfoProj) February 18, 2019
The twitter account also gave a stark comparison between how detainees who are foreigners and those are Haitian are treated by local authorities.
Social media in #Haiti posting contrast between TREATMENT OF HAITIANS arrested by police during protests VERSUS the TREATMENT OF FOREIGNERS arrested for criminal conspiracy. Point made, point taken! pic.twitter.com/CK9ogHgeUl
— HaitiInfoProject ? (@HaitiInfoProj) February 18, 2019
There were also pictures of some of the weapons and gear found in their possession.
Here are pics of weapons and gear found in their possession: pic.twitter.com/fN68czxJ8I
— HaitiInfoProject ? (@HaitiInfoProj) February 18, 2019
Colonel Assad also reported that the individuals are connected to Kroeker Partners, a company that “builds operational and logistical capacity of security sector, rule of law, justice and governance related systems around the world.”
Finally, there are identification documents posted online at least for some of the members of the group:
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Since February 7th, thousands of people have been protesting in Haiti over soaring inflation and allegations of government corruption.
Opposition groups are demanding an investigation over claims that officials and former ministers misappropriated development funds from an oil deal signed between Caribbean countries and Venezuela.
Demonstrators have demanded the resignation of President Moise, in power since 2017.
He rejected the calls, saying he would not leave the country in the “hands of armed gangs and drug traffickers.”
There are on-going reports of excessive violence being used against the people. Protesters go to the streets against the “US puppet regime,” which the US is currently also potentially trying to instate in Venezuela.
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