PESTEL, Grand’Anse, Haiti – Former police chief, Guy Philippe, told the Associated Press there would be “trouble” if he were to lose his race for a Senate seat in the Oct. 9 election.
The 2004 coup leader was interviewed from the town of Pestel where he has created a stronghold, according to the Washington Post.
“I will fight if I lose this election because I’ll know the government did it illegally,” he told the Associated Press reporter David McFadden. “I have nothing to lose.”
Philippe’s threats of political violence are not new. In late April and May of this year, he had gone on radio airwaves promising to overthrow interim president Jocelerme Privert if he did not step down on May 14.
An attack on a police station in Aux Cayes on May 16 appeared to be the work Philippe, still a fugitive of justice according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Guy Philippe has denied involvement in the attack, but one of the few dozen attackers was cited in court papers and on video saying it was “Guy” who sent them, and this has not helped his case.
Philippe has not answered calls for questioning by justice officials and told the Haitian Police and National Palace that he would fight if they were to enter his town.
