Joverlein Moïse, son of the assassinated Haitian president Jovenel Moïse, has written an open letter to United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, calling on him to help ensure that those accused of playing a role in the July 7, 2021 murder of his father—and who currently reside in the United States—are brought before the American justice system.
In the letter, which was also shared publicly via his Facebook page, Joverlein appeals to the shared democratic values of Haiti and the U.S., calling them two of the oldest sovereign nations on the continent with intertwined histories. He emphasized that citizens of both nations share a responsibility to uphold democracy and human dignity.
He wrote that the Haitian people have endured worsening crises for decades, and the “brutal assassination” of his constitutionally elected father felt like “we reached the bottom of this descent into hell.”
“This despicable and unprecedented act killed a president, but not the hope, the vision, or the dignity that Jovenel Moïse, the man, embodied for his people,” he said, referring to the deadly attack at his father’s private residence overlooking the capital. Moïse’s wife, Martine, was also injured in the assault. Several former Colombian soldiers have since been detained in connection with the murder.
Addressing Rubio, a former Senator from Florida, Joverlein said, “you are well aware of the economic and political dynamics that have undermined Haiti,” adding that Rubio is also familiar with the role of “certain powerful oligarchs who have long financed terrorist activities, political instability, multiple coup d’état, and ultimately, the assassination of my father.”
“An assassination accompanied by unspeakable acts of torture. A bullet-riddled body, which I myself donned before it was buried,” he continued. “This tragedy paved the way for looting and massacres: children, women, men, all victims of a corrupt and predatory system.”
Joverlein acknowledged that some of those accused have been apprehended by American authorities, but claimed that others continue to live freely in the U.S. despite their alleged involvement.
“It goes without saying that, with your influence, you have the capacity and moral authority, to contribute to ensuring that justice is done,” he wrote, noting that these individuals possess financial resources that far surpass those of Haiti’s weakened and compromised judicial institutions.
He stressed the importance of having these suspects tried in a country capable of delivering credible justice, warning that Haiti’s legal system has been “dismantled by those it should be prosecuting.”
“Extraditing such criminals to a country in a state of institutional decay would be an act of blatant irresponsibility,” he said, arguing that such a move would contradict the spirit of American republican values. He also claimed the alleged perpetrators benefited from U.S. infrastructure, including communications networks, financing, and weapons.
Joverlein warned that allowing impunity for these crimes, some of which he said were “planned on American soil,” would damage the United States’ reputation and further weaken Haiti’s already fragile sovereignty.
“This letter is not a call for interference, but a call for decency and justice,” he wrote. “It is the expression of a Haitian youth standing firm, rejecting inevitability, but knowing that they will need time, peace, and loyal and good-faith allies to reconquer and then rebuild their free homeland.”
He concluded by urging the U.S. to “understand the extent of the trauma suffered, and to act in the name of the common good and the principles our two nations have always defended,” adding that he remains hopeful for “every act of solidarity that will allow Haiti to finally emerge from the shadows and march proudly towards its rebirth.”
