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Jake Johnston

@jakobjohnston.bsky.social

Researching, writing. Haiti and US foreign policy. Author of AID STATE. Work at CEPR. https://t.co/N2PgN9A05W

259 Followers  |  32 Following  |  71 Posts  |  Joined: 07.10.2023  |  2.1494

Latest posts by jakobjohnston.bsky.social on Bluesky

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We Need Your Help!

Thrilled to announce that AID STATE will be translated into Kreyรฒl โ€” but we need some help to make it happen. The translated text and audio versions will be completely free. Please consider chipping in: cepr.net/we-need-your...

10.06.2025 19:43 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The files "offer support to the defense theory that CTU's actions in Haiti were effectuated in partnership with United States intelligence and Department of Justice agents ... to plan and carry out operations to effectuate regime change in foreign countries."

20.05.2025 15:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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More allegations from the lawyers concerning US intelligence agencies' support for regime change in Bolivia, conducted through CTU โ€” the Florida firm run by Ortiz and his partner Antonio Intriago.

20.05.2025 15:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The lawyers claim to have found an audio file buried in discovery "that bridges the joint work between Ortiz and the American agencies in Bolivia in 2020 with the 2021 work in Haiti."

The contents of that audio file are redacted.

20.05.2025 15:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The lawyers also allege the messages show US intel officials coordinating with Ortiz on a "regime change" operation in Bolivia in 2020.

20.05.2025 15:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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NEW: In court filing, lawyers for one of the defendants in the Haiti assassination case cite text messages between Arcangel Ortiz and his FBI handler from 2020 up until one week before the assassination.

20.05.2025 15:00 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2025/05/07/killer-gangs-are-inches-from-ruling-all-of-haiti

Link to article here: t.co/gPTPoVI4ed

08.05.2025 16:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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What could possibly go wrong?

"The founder of Blackwater, Erik Prince, visited Haiti in April to negotiate contracts to provide attack drones and training for an anti-gang task force."

08.05.2025 16:57 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

But over the course of the last three months, about 10 gang members have been killed every day in Haiti.

And security isn't improving, it's getting steadily worse.

The data in the UN report make clear that a new strategy is needed.

06.05.2025 14:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The armed groups in Haiti are responsible for heinous atrocities, including widespread sexual violence, as the UN report also makes clear.

06.05.2025 14:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The UN also reported at least 50 cases of security forces' summarily executing unarmed individuals suspected of being in or collaborating with gangs.

06.05.2025 14:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Police operations in Cite Soleil "were particularly concerning due to the large number of casualties among the population," the UN reports.

76 civilians killed and 43 injured.

"The victims were hit by stray bullets while they were in their residence or while walking."

06.05.2025 14:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

But the Haitian police were responsible for more than half of those deaths. They reported killing about 700 people "associated with gangs" and well over a 100 civilians.

06.05.2025 14:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

n the first three months of the year, more than 1,600 Haitians were killed. That would likely make Haiti the country with the highest homicide rate in the world.

06.05.2025 14:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
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Gran Grif also designated.

02.05.2025 16:09 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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It's official, the US has designated Viv Ansanm in Haiti as a "Transnational Terrorist Group."

02.05.2025 16:09 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 3    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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This could end virtually all trade with Haiti, if actually enforced. Very little comes or goes out of Port-au-Prince without some payments being made. Humanitarian access programs would also likely cease. Can't enter a community to disperse aid without negotiations.

30.04.2025 13:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/04/10/haiti-government-drones-gangs/

Full article: t.co/txRmH5jfdz

10.04.2025 15:05 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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A Haitian government official, asked by Washington Post about civilian casualties as a result of weaponized drone operations, had this to say:

โ€œTo me, itโ€™s just a detail. As long as youโ€™re in a zone controlled by gangs and there are attacks, collateral damage is going to happen.โ€

10.04.2025 15:05 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
https://revistaraya.com/familia-daniel-noboa-presidente-de-ecuador-trafico-de-cocaina-europa

Link to the full report: t.co/54jCREwqzu

26.03.2025 16:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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The report details three seizures of cocaine hidden in bananas from Noboa Trading, one just last year. A defendant, now free, was represented by an advisor to Noboa, who currently serves as minister of health.

26.03.2025 16:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Explosive new report from @revistaraya.bsky.social, based on internal Ecuadorian police documents, showing the connections between the president's banana company and drug trafficking.

26.03.2025 16:56 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Combined, he's bringing in more than $200k a month.

But why does the DR intel agency even need a lobbyist?

25.03.2025 14:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Carlos Trujillo, "a top advisor" to Trump on Latin America who also served during the first admin, has signed four new lobbying contracts in the last month: Haiti, Guyana, Georgia, and, perhaps even stranger, the intelligence agency of the Dominican Republic.

25.03.2025 14:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Haiti sanctions imposed by the US, Canada, even the UN ... it's virtue signaling. They are largely meaningless and have done as much to encourage corruption and violence than deter it.

21.03.2025 18:52 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

During Noboa's time in office, his administration has been plagued by conflict of interest scandals. His family's extensive business holdings touch nearly every sector.

Virtually the entire conglomerate is controlled by a handful of companies based in Panama and the Bahamas.

21.03.2025 15:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Noboa had previously denied any involvement with the Panamanian based Heckfield International, but here is another document listing his name as the "real owner."

21.03.2025 15:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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And another document, showing Noboa's connection to Festil Investments, which happened to have an account at Banisi, an offshore bank linked to former president Guillermo Lasso.

21.03.2025 15:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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Here's one document, showing Daniel Noboa listed as the "real owner" of Lanfranco Holdings, which as Folha's
Claudia Jardim reported, is "one of the largest entities in the Noboa family conglomerate."

21.03.2025 15:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 0    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
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In 2023, before Daniel Noboa became president of Ecuador,
@folha.com reported on leaked docs showing he owned shell companies in tax havens.

It would make him ineligible to hold public office.

1.5 years later, and with elections next month, he has yet to address the allegations.

21.03.2025 15:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 1    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

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