REGIONAL: Haitian police issue wanted bulletin for former Colombian military official

SOURCE: CMC- Haiti has issued a wanted bulletin for a former Colombian military officer, whom it claims had travelled to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country at least one day before the assassination of President Jovenel Moise last Wednesday.

The Haitian National Police (PNH) has in its notice described Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios as “ a very dangerous” person and appealed to Haitians to contact law enforcement authorities should he be seen.

According to the PNH, the man had travelled with several former soldiers involved in the assassination of President Moïse.

It said that he left Colombia for the Dominican Republic on Friday June 4, travelling by the El Dorado airport. The authorities here said that he was on the same Avianca flight with other members of the Commando unit that allegedly shot Moise 12 times, killing him instantly at his private residence overlooking the capital,, Port Au Prince during the early hours of  last Wednesday.

His wife and Haiti’s First Lady, Martine is recovering in a Miami hospital where she had been flown to hours after being injured during the shooting.

The PNH said that the former Colombian military officer arrived at Punta Cana International Airport (AIPC) at 6:10 pm (local time and left by car on June 6 for the five hour drive to the Carrizal border post.

Haitian authorities say an armed commando of 28 men – 26 Colombians and two Haitian-Americans – burst in and opened fire on the couple in their home. Seventeen people have been arrested so far and at least three suspects were killed, but no motive has been made public.

Earlier this week, the police announced a Florida-based doctorhad been arrested in connection with the killing.

Haiti’s national police chief, Léon Charles, said that Christian Emmanuel Sanon is the third U.S.-based individual tied to the assassination.

Charles, told reporters that Sanon was a central figure behind the murder and that the doctor had even planned to take over as Haiti’s new president.