BOGOTA — An ex-soldier hired to sign up with a group of Colombians implicated of participation in recently’s assassination of Haiti’s president included his voice to a chorus of household and associates who state the males were contracted to supply security, not to eliminate.
Haitian authorities stated President Jovenel Moise was killed early on Wednesday by foreign, qualified assassins: 26 Colombians and 2 Haitian Americans. Eighteen of the males have actually been recorded, while 3 others were eliminated.
Matias Gutierrez, a retired unique forces sniper and dad of 4, would have taken a trip to Haiti with the group last month if he had actually not evaluated favorable for COVID-19.
“If I had traveled, I would possibly be involved in the same thing that the commandos there are, unfortunately,” Gutierrez informed Reuters late on Monday.
Gutierrez, who now works as a security personnel, stated he understands the males were not associated with Moise’s killing since they are respectable and likewise trained in how to attack a target and after that draw back if that had actually been their real objective.
“It wasn’t our commandos. There has to have been a conspiracy,” stated Gutierrez. “Their extraction was total chaos. Why? Because they weren’t going on an assault, they went in support of a request by the security forces of the president.”
Multiple family members and associates of the Colombians have actually raised doubts over the Haitian authorities’ report, stating the males were worked with as bodyguards.
Gutierrez revealed Reuters the Whatsapp chat where he states conversations about the task happened.
The males were to make $2,700 a month to assist safeguard Moise, he stated, and were guaranteed they would operate in show with Haitian authorities.
That is a baronial amount for ex-soldiers like Gutierrez, who invested 21 years in the army, 14 of them in unique forces, prior to retiring in 2015. His retirement payments are simply 960,000 pesos (about $250) each month, he stated.
“You leave with the hope that you’re retired and you can live off the pension, enjoy your family like you couldn’t do for 20 years,” Gutierrez stated.
He and his other half had their 4th kid simply 9 months back, hoping Gutierrez might lastly be the dad he longed to be for his older kids.
“I didn’t see my kids grow up,” he included. “They never saw me at home because I was always out in the country, in the combat area.”
Gutierrez stated he talked to a few of the males when they initially got here in Haiti. They informed him things were working out and they were remaining in a home near to the governmental palace.
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