Crowd in Haiti chants "Joe Biden" amid hopes to claim asylum in U.S. after assassination of president
A Haitian-American who was arrested in the killing of Haiti's president had worked as a confidential informant to the Drug Enforcement Administration, CBS News has learned. During last week's attack at President Jovenel Moïse's home, gunmen could be heard announcing themselves as DEA agents, but the DEA says the gunmen were not acting on its behalf.
Tensions are rising in Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince as the lack of leadership threatens to further destabilize an already unstable nation. Outside the U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince, there was a mad rush to immigrate to the U.S. and claim asylum. Chants of "Joe Biden" rang through a crowd of people, most of whom were holding their passports.
A defense official confirmed to CBS News' David Martin on Tuesday that 12 additional Marine guards have been sent to beef up security at the U.S. embassy.
Minouche Mistidor, a mother desperate to get her 14-year-old son to America, told CBS News' Mola Lenghi that her ex-husband was a police officer killed in Haiti in March.
"There is a lot of violence here. Even the president isn't safe here," she said. "I got only one son."
At the remains of one building at the center of the investigation into Moïse's assassination, you can still see bullet holes. It's where the alleged gunmen exchanged fire with police after an intense manhunt. Less than a mile away at the president's compound, where he was killed, security forces in camo gear protected the perimeter.
Investigators still don't know how the assassins got into the president's compound. They aren't ruling anything out, including the possibility of inside help, since none of the president's guards were hurt.
Investigators remain focused on U.S. resident Christian Sanon, a self-proclaimed doctor, who had once filed for bankruptcy and was living in Florida. The Haitian national police chief alleges Sanon was in contact with a Florida-based security firm called CTU Security that he says recruited at least some of the 26 Colombians involved in the attack. The chief said Sanon planned to take over as president himself.
Most suspects in the assassination were arrested, including two Haitian-Americans who said they were hired as translators.
The Department of Justice says it will investigate to see if any U.S. laws were broken, as President Biden weighs whether to send in military troops.
"Haiti's political leaders need to come together for the good of their country," Mr. Biden said Monday.
CBS News reached out to CTU Security, but did not hear back. Those who knew Sanon told the Associated Press they believe he was duped by the real masterminds of the assassination.