In a potentially significant development for the trial of the defendants charged in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, one of the key defendants, retired Colombian Army captain Germán Rivera, is expected to plead guilty this week. The change of plea hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Miami federal court, according to court records.
Sarah Schall, spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Florida, confirmed the news, stating, “I am writing to advise that Mr. Germán Rivera is scheduled to plead guilty.” Legal experts widely interpret this guilty plea as an indication that Rivera, who was believed to be a leader in the plot to kill President Moïse, is willing to cooperate with prosecutors and provide testimony against the other defendants. This cooperation would greatly strengthen the prosecution’s case.
While Schall declined to comment further on Rivera’s plea, it should be noted that the 45-year-old initially pleaded not guilty after being extradited from Haiti in February. Prosecutors allege that Rivera played a pivotal role in recruiting a team of around 20 private security contractors who were involved in the assassination, which took place in the president’s bedroom shortly after midnight on July 7, 2021.
Rivera could potentially face a life sentence for four charges related to conspiring to kidnap or kill President Moïse. According to the indictment against the 11 accused conspirators, Rivera led a convoy of vehicles that attacked the president’s residence on the night of the assassination. Prior to the attack, he and others gathered at a nearby house to distribute firearms and equipment.
President Moïse was shot 12 times at close range and died instantly. Prosecutors allege that around 20 former Colombian soldiers were recruited in May 2021 to serve as private military contractors in Haiti. Initially, their mission was to provide security for a potential presidential candidate, Christian Sanon, a Haitian American pastor. However, the plan eventually evolved into the assassination plot, with Rivera being responsible for relaying the order to kill President Moïse to the rest of the team.
Emmanuel Perez, the attorney representing Antonio Intriago, the owner of a Miami-area security firm also implicated in the plot, stated that Rivera is likely to provide evidence against the defendants who were present in Haiti on the night of the assassination.
Having Rivera as a cooperating witness would be a significant asset for prosecutors. David Weinstein, a former federal and state prosecutor, emphasized the potential value of Rivera’s testimony and speculated that he may seek a reduced sentence in exchange for his cooperation. The extent of any sentencing benefits would ultimately be determined by the judge handling the case.
Mark Alan Levine, Rivera’s lawyer, abruptly ended the call when contacted for comment on his client’s reported change of plea.
According to William Acosta, a criminal defense investigator in New York who initially researched the case on behalf of relatives of some of the former Colombian soldiers, Rivera is one of the masterminds behind the plot. Acosta believes Rivera possesses crucial knowledge about the inception of the plan, who participated in meetings, how everything was organized, and who issued the orders.
Among the other defendants in the case is Rodolphe Jaar, a 51-year-old businessman and former drug trafficker who pleaded guilty in June and received a life sentence. A trial is scheduled for May next year for the remaining 10 defendants.
Prosecutors assert that the conspirators, who held meetings in both Haiti and Florida, believed that they would secure lucrative government contracts once President Moïse was eliminated and a new president was installed. Some of the Colombian individuals involved were allegedly told by one of the defendants that the operation had CIA backing, providing them with immunity from prosecution.
Relatives of Rivera in Colombia expressed shock upon hearing of his change of plea but declined to comment further on the matter.
Since President Moïse’s assassination, Haiti has experienced heightened violence and chaos, with no elected government and widespread control by criminal gangs. These gangs have set homes ablaze, engaged in kidnappings and killings, resulting in over 2,400 deaths and 900 injuries this year alone, according to the United Nations. Concerns have been raised by human rights groups regarding the inadequate response of state authorities to Haiti’s security crisis.
Following the president’s assassination, the Haitian government arrested over 40 individuals connected to the killing, including 18 former Colombian soldiers. Three other former Colombian soldiers died in a shootout with Haitian police, while another escaped to Jamaica but was later arrested and extradited to Miami.
The remaining defendants in the case include Christian Sanon, a former Haitian senator, John Joël Joseph, the owners of a Miami area security firm (Intriago and Arcangel Pretel), and a South Florida investor accused of financing the operation. Several of the defendants have been incarcerated for over 18 months since their extradition from Haiti or surrendering to authorities.
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