By Daniel Zéphyr, Gazette Haiti, March 22, 2024
Former rebel leader Guy Philippe spoke out resoundingly on Jean-Charles Moïse's decision to join the Presidential Council, despite the Pitit Dessalines leader's previous reservations about the initiative, in a message on social media this Friday, March 22, 2024. Guy Philippe denounced "bluffers" and "double agents who claim to love Haiti."
In his statements, the former police commissioner refuted any negotiations with Jean-Charles Moïse regarding CARICOM's moves to finalize the Presidential Council, stressing that no such discussion had ever taken place.
In addition, he shared information received from Rod Joseph, a Haitian-American, presented as a US army veteran very active on social networks, who claimed that Russia had conditioned its aid to Haiti on the Moïse's adherence to the solution proposed by CARICOM.
According to Philippe, "he told me that Russia has asked us to adhere to the CARICOM proposal or it will impose an embargo on us, along with the United States and its allies". Philippe said he refused to accept "the interference of foreign countries".
Philippe also denounced an alleged message from the Russian Foreign Minister, calling the attempt a "hoax". He said he had contacted his former comrades in Latin America, who confirmed that the message was false.
In an interview with Gazette Haïti, Moïse had explained the external pressures that would have influenced his decision to join the presidential council. "I could have lost my allies", said the Pitit Dessalines leader, without naming names. He asserted that the countries in question had insisted that Pitit Dessalines be represented on the aforementioned transitional structure.
In response to the criticism levelled at him for this about-turn, Moïse maintained that it was "a pragmatic response to the current circumstances".
Translated by CHIP editors
Posted March 30, 2024