Widow of Haiti President Testifies at Miami Trial of Four Accused in Assassination Conspiracy
The Miami federal trial of four men accused in the July 7, 2021, assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse opened with widow Martine Moïse testifying that she awoke to gunfire, heard her husband say “Honey, we are dead,” was shot multiple times as attackers speaking Spanish stormed their bedroom, and then heard her husband shot repeatedly and killed. She said she later learned the security detail had allegedly been paid to abandon their posts, acknowledged a prior Haitian indictment against her that was later annulled, and, while saying those behind the killing now hold power and want her back, maintained under cross‑examination that her courtroom account is accurate despite defense questions about inconsistencies with FBI interview reports.
📌 Key Facts
- Martine Moïse testified in Miami federal court at the trial of four men accused in a conspiracy to assassinate her husband, former Haitian president Jovenel Moïse.
- She said that on the night of July 7, 2021, she awoke to gunfire, heard Jovenel Moïse say “Honey, we are dead,” and attackers stormed their bedroom while she and her husband tried to use their bed as cover.
- Moïse testified she was shot multiple times, heard men speaking Spanish during the assault, and then heard her husband being shot repeatedly and killed.
- After the attackers left, she expected to find the 30–50 security officers assigned to protect the house dead, but later learned the guards had allegedly been paid to abandon their posts.
- Under cross‑examination she acknowledged that Haitian authorities had previously indicted her in connection with the case (a charge later annulled) and testified that those behind the killing now hold power in Haiti and want her returned to be killed.
- Defense attorneys pressed her on reported inconsistencies between her courtroom testimony and FBI interview reports; she maintained her current testimony is accurate and said she could not explain discrepancies in the FBI documents.
📊 Relevant Data
Jovenel Moïse faced widespread corruption allegations, including embezzlement of funds from the PetroCaribe program, which led to massive protests in 2019 demanding his resignation and contributed to political instability in Haiti.
Protesters Demand Resignation Of President Jovenel Moïse — NPR
In Haiti, approximately 59% of the population lived in poverty in 2022, with rural areas experiencing higher rates at 80% compared to urban areas at 45%, exacerbating economic desperation and political turmoil following the 2021 assassination.
Haiti's Troubled Path to Development — Council on Foreign Relations
Following the 2021 assassination of President Moïse, Haitian migrant encounters at the U.S. southern border surged, with U.S. Customs and Border Protection reporting over 221,000 encounters in fiscal year 2023, driven by escalating violence and instability in Haiti.
Haitian Immigrants in the United States — Migration Policy Institute
The United States has provided nearly $813 million in development, economic, health, and security assistance to Haiti since fiscal year 2021, influencing political stability and governance in the country amid ongoing crises.
U.S. Relations With Haiti — United States Department of State
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Martine Moïse testified in Miami federal court that on the night of July 7, 2021, she awoke to gunfire and heard Jovenel Moïse tell her, “Honey, we are dead,” before attackers stormed their bedroom.
- She described being shot multiple times while she and her husband tried to use their bed as cover, hearing men speaking Spanish, and then hearing her husband shot repeatedly and killed.
- She testified that after the attackers left, she expected to find the bodies of the 30–50 security officers assigned to protect the house but instead later learned the guards had allegedly been paid to abandon their posts.
- Under cross‑examination, she acknowledged Haitian authorities had previously indicted her in connection with the case (a charge later annulled) and said those behind the killing now hold power in Haiti and want her back so they can kill her too.
- Defense attorneys pressed her on reported inconsistencies between her courtroom account and FBI interview reports; she maintained that her current testimony is accurate and said she could not explain discrepancies in FBI documents.