Guy
Philippe,
a
leader
of
a
rebellion
in
Haiti
and
a
convicted
drug
trafficker,
was
deported
from
the
United
States
to
his
homeland
this
week.
Philippe
is
just
one
of
thousands
deported
to
the
troubled
nation
since
President
Joe
Biden
was
sworn
into
office
back
in
2021.
The
Miami
Herald
reports
that
Guy
Philippe,
55,
was
deported
on
Thursday
(November
30)
from
Alexandria,
La.
along
with
over
a
dozen
other
individuals.
Philippe
was
a
former
commander
in
the
Haitian
police
force
who
led
an
armed
rebellion
in
2004
to
overthrow
President
Jean
Bertrand
Aristide.
From
there,
Philippe
got
involved
in
a
scheme
with
Colombian
cocaine
traffickers,
assisting
in
a
money-laundering
operation
for
the
group.
In
2017,
after
dodging
capture
by
the
Drug
Enforcement
Administration,
Philippe
was
sentenced
to
nine
years
in
prison
for
his
role
in
the
scheme.
Philippe
pleaded
guilty
to
the
charges
but
claimed
innocence.
Philippe’s
return
to
Haiti
has
been
in
process
since
September
after
he
was
released
from
a
federal
facility
and
moved
into
immigration
custody.
According
to
the
Herald‘s
report,
Philippe
attempted
to
get
his
sentence
reduced
since
the
sentencing.
The
turn
of
Guy
Philippe
is
a
cause
of
concern
for
some
as
the
country
has
yet
to
rebound
from
the
2021
assassination
of
President
Jovenel
Moïse.
Philippe,
despite
his
criminal
record
in
the
United
States,
won
a
seat
in
the
Haiti
Senate
in
2016
while
campaigning
alongside
Moïse.
Just
before
he
was
set
to
be
sworn
in,
Philippe
was
arrested
and
handed
over
to
the
DEA.
—
Photo:
JAIME
RAZURI
/
Getty
