Four Men Accused in Haitian President's Assassination Head to Trial in Miami

The 2021 killing of President Jovenel Moise plunged Haiti into chaos that continues today.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Four men accused of conspiring to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moise in 2021 are set to go on trial in Miami this week. The indictment originally named 11 men, including a team of former Colombian soldiers hired by a South Florida security firm. Moise's killing plunged Haiti into a humanitarian crisis with armed gangs seizing control of large parts of the capital. The Miami trial is narrowly focused on a handful of defendants with ties to South Florida, leaving some important questions about the crime unanswered.

Why it matters

The assassination of President Moise was a major political upheaval that continues to destabilize Haiti. This trial in Miami aims to shed light on the plot and the individuals involved, though it may not provide a complete picture of the broader conspiracy.

The details

The four defendants on trial in Miami are Antonio Intriago and Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, the co-owners of a South Florida security firm that hired the Colombian mercenaries; Walter Veintemilla, a business partner who helped finance the firm's work in Haiti; and James Solages, a Haitian American security officer. A fifth defendant, a Haitian American pastor named Christian Sanon, will be tried separately. Prosecutors say the security firm's plan originally involved arresting Moise, but it later morphed into an assassination plot. The defense argues their clients were unaware of any assassination plot and were simply providing security for what they believed was a lawful arrest.

  • On July 7, 2021, Haitian President Jovenel Moise was killed in his bedroom in the early hours of the morning.
  • The trial of the four defendants in Miami is set to begin with opening statements on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.

The players

Jovenel Moise

The last elected president of Haiti, who was assassinated in his home in July 2021.

Antonio Intriago

A Venezuelan American co-owner of the South Florida security firm Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy (C.T.U.), which hired the Colombian mercenaries.

Arcangel Pretel Ortiz

A Colombian co-owner of the South Florida security firm C.T.U., which hired the Colombian mercenaries.

Walter Veintemilla

An Ecuadorean American business partner who helped finance C.T.U.'s work in Haiti.

James Solages

A Haitian American security officer accused in the conspiracy.

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What they’re saying

“At some point, a group of Haitians decided that they were going to murder the president. My client had no idea about any of that.”

— Emmanuel Perez, Lawyer for Antonio Intriago

“They needed an arrest warrant. They used me like a puppet.”

— Jean Noelcius, Haitian judge

“Jovenel is not leaving the country alive.”

— James Solages

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether to allow the defendants to be released on bail during the trial.

The takeaway

This trial aims to uncover the details of the plot to assassinate the Haitian president, but the broader conspiracy and the full scope of those responsible may remain elusive, as the Miami proceedings focus narrowly on a small group of defendants with ties to South Florida.