Haiti President's Widow Reveals His Final Words Before Assassination in Court Testimony
The widow of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse has provided a harrowing account of the terrifying moments leading up to his assassination in 2021, as she testified in a U.S. federal court. Martine Moïse described the night armed attackers stormed their home, revealing the chilling last words her husband uttered before he was killed.
The Night of the Attack
According to her testimony, Martine and Jovenel Moïse were asleep in their residence near Port-au-Prince in the early hours of July 7, 2021, when gunfire suddenly erupted outside. She woke up and asked her husband what was happening, to which he responded with his final, ominous words: "Honey, we are dead."
Moments later, a group of heavily armed mercenaries, many of them former soldiers from Colombia, forced their way into the home and opened fire. Martine Moïse told the court she tried to crawl downstairs to check on her two adult children as the shooting continued. She later returned to the bedroom, where she and the president attempted to take cover on the floor on opposite sides of the bed.
The Assault and Aftermath
The attackers eventually burst into the room and began firing what sounded like automatic weapons. Martine Moïse said she was shot several times during the assault. She also testified that she heard the attackers speaking Spanish before someone shot her husband multiple times, killing him.
After the gunmen left, she expected to find the security officers assigned to guard the presidential residence, but said none of them were present. She later learned that many of the security personnel had allegedly been paid to abandon their posts before the attack.
Impact and Ongoing Trial
The assassination of President Moïse plunged Haiti into deep political turmoil, worsening instability in a country already struggling with growing gang violence and a weakened government. Martine Moïse survived the attack but suffered serious injuries. She was first treated at a local hospital before being flown to the United States for surgery. She told the court that her right arm remains partially disabled and she still experiences pain from the wounds.
During cross-examination, defense lawyers questioned her about previous investigations in Haiti that once linked her to the case. She said the charges were later dropped and insisted that the people responsible for her husband's death are now in positions of power. Martine Moïse also told the court she has fled Haiti because she fears for her life and believes those behind the assassination want her killed as well.
Prosecutors say the conspiracy to remove the president was planned and financed partly in South Florida. The four men currently on trial face charges related to kidnapping or killing the Haitian leader and could receive life sentences if convicted. However, defense lawyers argue that the investigation in Haiti was flawed and claim their clients believed they were involved in a lawful mission to arrest the president rather than assassinate him.
The trial is expected to last several weeks as prosecutors attempt to unravel the complex international plot behind one of the most shocking political killings in the Caribbean in recent years.
