Haitian President Jovenel Moise announced Sunday that authorities apprehended more than 20 people, including at least two high-profile government officials, who he accused of plotting to kill him and overthrow his government.
Moise told reporters the alleged plot began on Nov. 20. “There was an attempt on my life,” he said.
A police inspector and Supreme Court Judge, Yvickel Dabrézil, are among the nearly two-dozen people behind bars. The arrest of Dabrezil, one of the front-runners for a potential presidential run to unseat Moise, has drawn widespread condemnation from members of the government’s opposition, including André Michel, who called for Moise’s apprehension.
Reynold Georges, another top opposition leader who used to serve in the president’s administration, cautioned the public that the court system could shut down if Dabrezil remains in custody.
“We ask for his release immediately,” he said.
The string of arrests follows demands from those who do not support the administration that Moise’s five-year term ends on Sunday. The president, however, insists that he is permitted to remain in office through February 2022 since he was sworn in a year after the election.
President Biden’s State Department supports the current regime and expects a transfer of power come 2022 through fair elections, a spokesperson told the Associated Press.
