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Jorge Vargas, Chief of the Colombian National Police: Another new suspect named
Photo: LUISA GONZALEZ / REUTERS
Ten days after the murder of Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse, it is still unclear who exactly was behind the crime.
The Colombian police have now presented a new suspect: Joseph Felix Badio, a former employee of the Haitian Ministry of Justice, is said to have transmitted the order to murder the assassins, said the head of the Colombian national police, Jorge Vargas, in a video address on Friday.
Badio told two Colombian mercenaries three days before the murder that this was their mission.
Vargas cited findings from joint investigations between Haitian and Colombian authorities with Interpol.
The suspect worked in an anti-corruption unit with the secret service, said Vargas.
According to the Reuters news agency, it is unclear where Badio is staying.
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The Haitian police published wanted ads for badios, a former senator and a third Haitian on Tuesday.
It was about murder, attempted murder and armed robbery, it was said.
According to media reports, one of the Colombian mercenaries alleged to have received the order from Badio was shot dead by police officers after the murder, and the other arrested.
According to Vargas, they were among a group of four who had entered Haiti in late April.
They were then later followed by 20 more Colombians.
Initially, the men were hired for security services through a Venezuelan company in the US city of Miami, said Vargas.
Later, the ex-functionary and another man informed the two Colombians that they should arrest Moïse.
After all, the job was then called murder - which, according to Vargas, most of the mercenary troops did not know.
What is the role of a Haitian doctor and pastor residing in the United States?
The 53-year-old head of state was attacked and shot in his residence by heavily armed commandos on the night of July 7th.
His wife survived injured.
So far, 18 Colombians have been arrested and three more killed.
Two Americans of Haitian origin and three Haitians were also arrested.
Among them was a Haitian doctor and pastor, Emmanuel Sanon, who lived in the United States.
The police accused him of hiring the mercenaries to become president of the Caribbean state himself.
Allegedly, the Colombians called him first after the attack.
more on the subject
After the attack: four bodyguards arrested by Haiti's murdered president
Murder of Haiti's President Moïse: 29 suspects, many theoriesBy Klaus Ehringfeld, Mexico City
Chaos after the presidential murder in Haiti: rule of the gangstersAn analysis by Jens Glüsing
Haiti: Assassination in the Chaos State - and the ConsequencesBy Klaus Ehringfeld, Mexico City
However, many questions remain unanswered.
So Sanon was hardly known in Haiti, it is unclear how he wanted to come to power.
In addition, Moïse's bodyguard survived the attack unharmed.
Shortly after the crime, this raised suspicions that bodyguards might have been privy to and involved in the assassination plans.
The police arrested four members of the bodyguard, including the head of the unit.
Many in Haitian civil society still believe that the Haitian power elite were behind the murder.
You may have wanted to prevent Moïse from establishing himself in power.
Instead of elections, Moïse was apparently planning a referendum to abolish the ban on presidential re-election.
USA does not want to send troops
The attack has sparked fears that the Caribbean country could slide further into chaos.
Haiti is the poorest country on the American continent.
Despite the situation in the country, the US does not want to send troops to Haiti to stabilize the country.
The government of the Caribbean state had asked the former occupying power to do so.
But such a mission is currently not on the agenda, said US President Joe Biden on Thursday in the White House.
They will only send marines to Haiti to secure the US embassy.
slü / dpa / Reuters