After the assassination of Haiti’s president plunged the country into chaos, Ariel Henry took power and was tasked with bringing the perpetrators to justice and facilitating the country’s recovery.
But recent developments reveal that Henry kept in touch with a key player in the case, and that they remained close even after the murder.
Haitian Prime Minister Had Close Links With Murder Suspect
Many of the country’s governmental institutions are in shambles, the capital is under siege by gangs, the economy is crumbling, and the few remaining elected leaders are squabbling over who will be the next president after the death of Jovenel Mose in July.
With Henry at the helm, tensions were expected to decrease, foreign allies expressed interest in sending troops, and elections were brought closer. In his speech, he vowed to bring the killers to justice, put an end to the bloodshed, and usher in a time of political harmony.
However, the murder investigation slowed down, and doubts about Henry’s dedication to the case surfaced shortly thereafter. His ties to Joseph Felix Badio, a fugitive ex-minister of justice in Haiti on suspicion of arranging the attack that killed Mose, are at the heart of the allegations.
Two Haitian Authorities with Knowledge of the Case Claim that Badio Went to See Henry When he Learned that he was Wanted by Police.
According to the officials, four months after the assassination, Badio visited Henry’s official mansion twice, once during the day and once at night, both times walking right in without being stopped by the prime minister’s security guards despite being on the run from the police.
Henry, the current prime minister, may or may not have helped the suspects in any way, as the majority of them were apprehended or slain by police. Henry’s representative insisted that, contrary to the phone records, Henry did not have any contact with the suspect Badio after the murder. Unfortunately, we were unable to get a response from Badio.
But the former chief prosecutor of Haiti, who was ousted from office by Henry, has demanded answers from the prime minister. And now, a major suspect in the case has provided comprehensive details regarding the “trusting connection” Badio allegedly shared with Henry.
Jaar claimed that just before the assassination, Badio assured him Henry would be an effective ally after the president was deposed.
According to Jaar, Badio told him, “He is my good friend; I have full control of him,” when Henry, a 72-year-old neurosurgeon, was appointed prime minister..
Last Words
According to Jaar, the plot’s original intent was to overthrow the president rather than kill him, and he now finds himself a pawn in a wider political game whose rules he does not completely understand. A top security official in the Dominican Republic said Friday that he had been arrested there after being on the run for six months.
