Former President Martelly returns to Haiti as probe of Moïse assassination continues

Former Haitian president Michel Martelly has returned home.

Martelly, who lives in Miami, arrived in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday after traveling from the northern city of Cap-Haïtien aboard a Sunrise Airways flight. His rare visit comes as an investigative judge continues to re-examine the investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, who was killed on July 7, 2021.

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As Martelly waited in the diplomatic salon at the airport after his domestic flight landed at Guy Malary Airport at 10:45 a.m., supporters of the popular musician-turned-politician were seen on motorcycles entering the airport.

Martelly, who had selected Moïse, as his successor to the presidency, is among several high-profile figures summoned to give testimony. He has not been charged in the case.

How long Martelly intends to remain in Haiti is unclear. Political observers, however, believe his visit could extend beyond complying with the judicial summons. They believe the former leader, who served in office between 2011-16, could use the visit to assess the political climate and gauge support for his possible return to elected office despite a number of significant hurdles.

Amid Haiti’s ongoing political turmoil and the gang-fueled crisis that erupted after Moïse’s assassination, Martelly became one of several Haitian politicians sanctioned by both the United States, Canada and European Union over alleged drug trafficking, gang ties and corruption.

Despite dominating Haitian politics for the last decade, Martelly’s Haitian Tèt Kale Party, PHTK, is not among the 316 political parties recently authorized to field candidates in the country’s upcoming general elections. Even so, Martelly continues to enjoy support among members of Haiti’s private sector and political class.

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Last week Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council issued a list of the political parties approved to participate in the vote and announced deadlines for party accreditation and voter registration.

The country last held elections a decade ago and remains in a transition as armed gangs continue to tighten their grip on Port-au-Prince and the neighboring Artibonite region.

Pierre Esperance, a Haiti human rights advocate, said as a Haitian citizen the former president has every right to return to Haiti, but the government doesn’t owe him anything. Under the law, he was only entitled to security and vehicles the first five years after stepping down from power.

“If they give him security it’s at their discretion,” Esperance said, citing the various allegations against Martelly, including making false declarations about his assets to Haitian authorities. “Normally, the Haitian state should not give him security.”

Read more Former President Martelly returns to Haiti as probe of slaying of Moïse continues

This story was originally published July 15, 2026 at 11:15 AM.