From Caribbean News Now

PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti — On Thursday evening, elected Senator Guy Philippe (Grande Anse) was taken to Toussaint Louverture Airport in Haiti where, surrounded by armed agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), he was boarded handcuffed on a non-commercial aircraft, to be extradited to Florida in the United States to face as yet unknown charges.

Shortly before 4:00 pm on Thursday, Philippe was arrested by members of the Office for the Fight against Drug Trafficking (BLTS). Subsequently, he was taken to the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police (DCPJ) amid massive security, HaitiLibre reported.

He had previously been arrested under an international warrant issued against him several years ago for his alleged involvement in illicit drug trafficking.

Mario Delcy, Philippe’s lawyer, confirmed that his client had been extradited by agents of the DEA on Tursday night to the United States and called on parliamentarians to mobilize against this arrest.

Although Philippe is an elected senator, he has not yet been sworn in and he was arrested prior to benefiting from the immunities conferred on him by his office. Article 114 of the Haitian constitution stipulates that “Members of the Legislative Body are inviolable from the day of taking the oath until the expiry of their term of office, subject to the provisions of Article 115.”

No Haitian official has made a statement concerning this arrest and extradition. Camille Junior Edouard, the minister of justice, has remained silent, as has the presidency, and the American embassy. Senators were expected to launch a convocation against the minister of justice, calling for more explanations. For the moment, the exact charges against Philippe are unknown.

Following Philippe’s arrest, protesters in the departments of the South and Grand’Anse took to the streets to demand his release. Flaming tyre barricades were reportedly erected on roads in these two departments; also police stations have been objects of attacks by unidentified individuals.

IMAGE: Guy Philippe

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