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By Beth Stibal |

Two South Florida men charged in assassination of Haiti’s president

APTOPIX Haiti President Killed
Police officers patrol in search for suspects in the murder Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, July 8, 2021. Moise was assassinated in an attack on his private residence early Wednesday. . (AP Photo/Joseph Odelyn)

Haitian authorities say the heavily armed men who assassinated the country’s president were 26 Colombians and two Haitian-Americans.
Two South Florida men are charged in the assassination of Haiti’s president. Tamarac’s James Solages, 35 and Miami’s Joseph Vincent, 55, have been arrested for Wednesday’s deadly attack on Haitian president, Jovenel Moise.

Solages and Vincent are from Haiti, but they’re US citizens. A Haitian newspaper reports the two men told investigators they were translators for the alleged gunmen.

Moise was killed in his home early Wednesday and his wife, the First Lady. Martine Moïse, was shot multiple times in the incident and was flown to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, arriving at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Arrangements were made for her to be taken to Miami for treatment at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Officials said her vitals are stable but critical and continues healing with round the clock police protection in Miami.

Twenty-eight suspects were believed to be involved in the plot to kill the President.

Some of the suspected assassins were killed in a firefight with police later in the day and several were arrested. The hunt is still on for the organizers of the operation. Authorities say eight suspects are still on the loose.

Quite expectedly, South Florida’s Haitian community is in shock over the assassination of Haitian President. U.S. Representative Frederica Wilson of Florida says the Biden administration should appoint a special envoy to Haiti to help with diplomatic resources there. Meanwhile, U.S. Airlines are canceling flights to and from Haiti over fears of violence and civil unrest.