Of Two Haitian-Americans Arrested In Moise Killing, One Was ‘Very Close' To Opponent, Source Says

By Onz Chéry, The Haitian Times

Jul. 08, 2021

James Solages, a Fort Lauderdale-based entrepreneur, is among the six suspects arrested so far in President Jovenel Moise’s assassination, according to Mathias Pierre, minister of elections and inner-party relationship said. Within moments of the name making news, scores of Haitians said on social media that Solages used to work as a security guard for both Reginald Boulos and Dimitri Vorbe, two of Moise’s opponents.

Solages lived in Jacmel, a commune in the southeast department about 57 miles from Port-au-Prince, before moving to Fort Lauderdale.

Sergot Joassaint, a Jacmel resident, said he has come across Solages before in Monchil 1, located at the entrance of Jacmel. He recognized Solages from the picture.

Joassaint said he never expected Solages’s name to be on the list of Moise’s suspected murderers.

“I would’ve never expected that but nowadays with what’s happening in Haiti, you can’t trust people,” said Sergot, 50.

A different Jacmel resident said Solages was “very close” to Vorbe. “He was his right-hand man,” said the resident. The Haitian Times is not naming the source for fear of reprisal.

A message sent to Vorbe through his Facebook account had not been returned as of this filing. Vorbe has not posted on his Twitter account since July 6.

On social media, multiple people said Solages has worked as a security guard in Vorbe’s and Boulos’ businesses.

Solages describes himself as the CEO of Fwa Sa a Jacmel Avan charitable organization. He is a former chief commander of body-guards for The Canadian Embassy in Haiti, according to his About Me page on Fwa Sa site.

When reached for comment, Boulos’s public relations team asked where The Haitian Times had heard the information. They later wrote in an email that “Mr. Solages has never worked for Mr. Boulos, according to their records.”

The Miami Herald also reported that a second man from the Miami area, Joseph Vincent, was arrested in connection with the assassination. Vincent is of Haitian descent and reportedly about 56 years old.

Information from The Washington Post was used in this report. This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

The Haitian Times is an independent news organization that covers stories of interest to the Haitian Diaspora. Our geographic coverage is focused in the New York City Metropolitan area, South Florida and Haiti.