Laurent Lamothe received a surprise request, during his visit to France.
Pressure is on the Martelly government.
The clock is ticking.
Alain Juppé, France’s Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of France has pressed Haiti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Lamothe for the extradition to France of both Rene Preval and Jean-Bertrand Aristide for questioning in the Amral Duclona affair.
Special focus in on Duclona’s assassination of the French Consul, a crime Duclona claims was ordered by Rene Preval and others.
Gang-leader Amaral Duclona escaped to the Dominican Republic as MINUSTAH teams moved to arrest him. Jude Celestin arranged for a Haitian passport in a false name. Celestin stayed in the home of Preval’s sister the night before his escape. He lived in the Dominican Republic, supported by cash sent via Western Union, from the palace.
He was arrested by a special team of Dominicans and MINUSTAH. Interrogated in the Dominican Republic, Duclona implicated Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Rene Preval, Jude Celestin – and dozens of others – in a criminal, murder campaign against the opposition.
Whenever Duclona was arrested, he simply called the palace and Preval would have him released. When in danger he simply ran to Preval’s home, or that of Preval’s sister, for safety.
The French have waited for justice.
They now want Aristide, Preval and others. If this is not possible – they have already filed documents requesting the right to interrogate Aristide and Preval – under oath – in Haiti.
The American government is reviewing its files covering the involvement of Aristide, Preval, Celestin and others in the cocaine traffic.
I suppose the old saying…YOU CAN RUN BUT YOU CANNOT HIDE… might fit the Aristide/Preval/Celestin situation of today. They have been effectively frozen in Haiti so they can be picked off at leisure.
January 25, 2012