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Reporter’s Notebook: Progressives eye shutdown leverage to rein in ICE, Venezuela operations

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There is a nexus between congressional spending, the Minnesota ICE shooting and military operations related to Venezuela.

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It is argued that the power of the purse is one of the most hallowed powers of Congress. This is why a number of progressives are imploring Democrats to use the next government funding round to defund ICE or impose strictures to hamstring ICE in the next government funding round. 

Some liberal Democrats even want to force a government shutdown over the shooting in Minnesota. That’s to say nothing of some Democrats wanting to use the power of the purse to hem in the administration on maneuvers in Venezuela or potential future operations in Cuba, Mexico, Colombia or Greenland.

Congress has not yet addressed the funding bills for the Pentagon or State Department for fiscal year 2026.

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A former Secret Service and ICE agent explains why the officer had only seconds to act as a vehicle accelerated toward him in Minneapolis. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

Funding for nine distinct sections of the federal government expires at the end of the day on Jan. 30. One of those sections is DHS. It’s possible the House could debate that bill in the coming days. This comes as an increasing number of Democrats are demanding that the House impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

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The House this week approved a «minibus» spending package, tackling appropriations for energy and water programs, the Department of Interior and the departments of Commerce and Justice and science programs. The plan is for the Senate to align with the House on these bills. But, regardless, Congress would probably have to approve another continuing resolution (CR) to keep the lights on in all other quarters of the federal government after Jan. 30. 

A CR simply renews all federal funding at present levels. So, it’s likely Congress would OK whatever spending bills they’ve worked out and put everything else in the CR to avoid a shutdown.

CROCKETT WARNS OF NATIONWIDE PROTESTS OVER ICE SHOOTING: ‘STATE-SANCTIONED EXECUTION’

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Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., speaks as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., looks on during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol in Washington Jan. 8, 2026. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

But some progressives have other ideas. They want to use this government funding deadline as «leverage» over ICE and operations related to Venezuela.

«We should use every means at our disposal to do it, including the appropriations process,» said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md.

But there is a schism inside the Democratic Party. The House and Senate Democratic leadership made a decision not to push for a shutdown this time. They know that a tentative agreement on all of this is fragile as Jan. 30 approaches.

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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., sidestepped my question when I asked him about using appropriations to undercut ICE.

«Our focus right now, in terms of the appropriations bill, are getting the three bills that are going to be on the floor today over the finish line, and then we’ll turn to the Homeland Security,» said Jeffries.

I pressed further.

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Kristi Noem at the White House

Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, during a meeting with President Donald Trump and Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s president, in the Oval Office of the White House April 14, 2025. (Ken Cedeno/UPI/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Jeffries snapped back at me about ICE and DHS funding.

«No, what I’m focused on right now, Chad, is to make life better for the American people,» said an angry Jeffries.

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Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., is in a similar boat.

«I have lots of problems with ICE,» said Schumer.

«Why is there resistance to use the appropriations process, either for Venezuela or now certainly for ICE? I mean, are you afraid of another government shutdown?» I asked.

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Schumer ignored the question.

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Even Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., gave Jeffries and Schumer some slack on not taking up the cause to handcuff ICE through the appropriations process.

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«They’re responsible for leading an entire caucus that elects members from across their country. So they’re in a different position,» Ocasio-Cortez said of the Democratic leaders.

But she noted that funding for ICE «exploded virtually overnight, and we are seeing the ramifications of it in terms of the abuse of power that is happening.» 

Ocasio-Cortez noted that Democrats could pursue cutting ICE funding in another funding round.

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Canada’s Carney under pressure to act after synagogues shot at in latest antisemitic incidents

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Over the weekend, two Toronto synagogues were attacked by gunfire. Several days earlier, another synagogue was hit by around twenty gunshots on the Jewish holiday of Purim. 

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Though the three attacks caused no injuries, many in the Jewish community are demanding concrete action from Prime Minister Mark Carney — not just words of comfort that have typically followed such antisemitic incidents.

Carney took to X saying that the «antisemitic and criminal attacks violate the right of Canadian Jewish men and women to live and pray in complete safety» and «represent a serious assault on the way of life of all Canadians.»

ISRAELI MINISTER WARNS CANADA IS ‘MARCHING TOWARD THE ABYSS’ AFTER JEWISH MAN ATTACKED IN FRONT OF CHILDREN

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Temple Emanu-El in Toronto, Canada was shot at on March 3, 2026. No injuries were reported. (Nick Lachance/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

In the aftermath of the first synagogue attack, Israel’s National Security Council warned Israelis overseas to «maintain vigilance and adhere to safety precautions.» Among their suggestions were for Israelis to «conceal Jewish and Israeli identifiers while in public spaces,» to be aware of surroundings «in areas associated with Israel or Judaism,» and to «avoid visiting sites identified as Jewish or Israeli.»

On X, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that «all eyes are on Canada: it’s time to halt the unprecedented wave of Jew-hatred that has erupted since October 7th.»

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Anti-Israel demonstrators gather outside Union Station during a rally in Toronto, Ontario on Jan. 4, 2024.  (Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Like many Western countries, Canada has seen a marked rise in annual antisemitic incidents since the Hamas terror attack in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. The League for Human Rights B’nai Brith Canada found that there were 6,219 incidents of antisemitism in Canada in 2024. This constituted an average of 17 incidents per day, more than double the eight incidents per day calculated in 2022. 

CANADA’S ANTISEMITISM ENVOY RESIGNS, CITING EXHAUSTION AMID HATE SURGE

While figures for 2025 have yet to be released, Public Safety Canada noted that from April to June 2025, «Among hate crimes targeting religion… the majority were directed at the Jewish community (69%).»

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Conservative MP Roman Baber, said the behavior of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and other liberal Canadian politicians have been «adding fuel to the fire of Jew hatred in Canada.»

Baber aimed further criticism at Carney, saying, «When the Prime Minister on the campaign trail says he knows there is genocide in Gaza, he engages in Jew hatred.»

Beth Avraham Yoseph synagogue, Toronto.

General view of Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto synagogue in Thornhill, north of Toronto, Ontario. The place of worship was one of three synagogues attacked in early March 2026.

Baber was referring to an event in April 2025 during which a heckler yelled over a bustling crowd that «there is a genocide happening in Gaza.» Carney responded, «I’m aware, that’s why we have an arms embargo.»

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SKYROCKETING ANTISEMITISM IN CANADA SPARKS CONCERN FOR COUNTRY’S JEWS AHEAD OF ELECTION

Carney later said that he did not hear the heckler use the term «genocide.»

Baber noted that «when the Prime Minister recognized the Palestinian state, he rewarded the brutality of Hamas, and he did so on the eve of Rosh Hashanah.»

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In his announcement, released the day prior to the Jewish holiday, Carney claimed that recognizing «the State of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Authority, empowers those who seek peaceful coexistence and the end of Hamas,» and «in no way legitimizes terrorism, nor is it any reward for it.» He also claimed recognition «in no way compromises Canada’s steadfast support for the State of Israel, its people, and their security.» 

Anti-Israel protesters, Canada.

Anti-Israel protesters gather outside the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto synagogue on March 7, 2024. The place of worship was one of three synagogues shot at in the first week of March 2026. (Mert Alper Dervis/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Watchdog organization StopAntisemitism told Fox News Digital that «every day we are seeing painful reminders that antisemitism remains a real and dangerous threat. Acts of violence meant to intimidate or silence our community will not succeed. Loud and proud Jews will not allow hatred or fear to deter our Jewish way of life or our presence in the world. Not in Canada, in the United States, in Europe, and certainly not in Israel.»

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StopAntisemitism called for the perpetrators to «be punished to the fullest extent of the law so that justice is served and deterrence is clear.»



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Illegal immigrant’s two decades of unlawful votes expose the real ‘threat’ to democracy: Experts

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After an illegal immigrant was discovered to have been voting for more than a decade in Philadelphia, immigration experts are warning that the «system can fail» and that loss of voter confidence represents the true «serious threat» to American democracy. 

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In an interview with Fox News Digital, Simon Hankinson, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said that «the most important thing is perception.»

«People have to believe that their vote counts. And so that’s, I think, a much more serious long-term threat,» said Hankinson. 

«We have a perception in the United States,» he continued, «that elections were free and fair. If even the appearance of impropriety, the appearance of corruption, is bad enough to turn people off, to make people not interested in going to vote, to think, ‘Well, my vote doesn’t count anyway.’ Then that’s really what undermines democracy.»

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Mahady Sacko, a Mauritanian citizen living in the United States illegally, has fraudulently voted in every federal election dating back to 2008, federal prosecutors said. (Department of Homeland Security; Getty Images)

Earlier this week, Fox News Digital learned that Mahady Sacko, a Mauritanian citizen and illegal immigrant, allegedly voted in every federal election since 2008. He has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and charged with voter fraud in Philadelphia. This comes as congressional lawmakers fiercely debate the SAVE Act, a measure proponents say would strengthen election integrity laws. 

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Despite being given a removal order in 2000, Sacko, 50, registered to vote in 2005 and falsely stated on several occasions that he was a U.S. citizen, authorities allege. The voting records showed that he cast ballots in the general elections in 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024. In addition, he voted in the 2016 and 2020 primary elections, prosecutors said. 

Hankinson said that while he believes such cases are more isolated and are not widely prevalent in the U.S., it is a «potentially big problem, and it’s one that’s very easy to fix.»

«The average Joe who does vote doesn’t think he’s setting fire to his ballot. He thinks it’s actually going to count for something. That’s what’s at risk here,» Hankinson continued, adding, «That I think is a long-term serious threat to our democracy.»

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Meanwhile, Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of the election integrity research group True the Vote, told Fox News Digital that «an illegal alien allegedly voting in every presidential election since 2008 is proof the system can fail — and we have no reliable, codified way to determine how many others may be doing the same.»

«Millions could be voting illegally, but we don’t know because comprehensive voter roll audits are being fought tooth and nail, instead of being standard operating procedure,» she went on. «What’s most disturbing is how vicious the fight has become to block analyses, stop audits, and shut down even the most basic questions about eligibility and voter record maintenance.»

«That kind of resistance leaves millions of Americans with the unmistakable impression that something is very wrong in our system, and that feeling, that loss of trust, is likely the biggest impact of all.»

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SPARKS FLY AS GOP SENATOR REACTS TO BIDEN ADVISOR’S ‘I DON’T KNOW’ ANSWER ON ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION LAW

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Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of True the Vote, warned that «millions» could be voting illegally. (SETH HERALD/AFP via Getty Images and Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

She posited that «we should treat voter rolls the way serious industries treat sensitive record management.» She suggested bringing in independent third-party auditors, setting clear state and national standards, and using real-time verification of identity, residency, and citizenship as a matter of routine.

«The data exists, the technology exists, and other sectors use it every day — what’s missing is political will to apply those same basic safeguards to our elections,» she said.

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On the other hand, in a statement shared with Fox News Digital, David Becker, executive director of the Center for Election Innovation & Research (CEIR), said, «We have a very good sense of the depth of the problem here» and «it is extremely rare that noncitizens get registered, and it is infinitesimally rare that they vote.»

CEIR released its latest review of noncitizen registration and voting claims last month. That review concluded, «CEIR continues to find that sweeping allegations about noncitizen registrations or voting appear to arise from misunderstandings, mischaracterizations, or outright fabrications about complex voter data.»

Becker said that President Donald Trump’s «own Department of Homeland Security has checked more than 49 million voter records, and they themselves admit that 99.98% of those records represented confirmed citizens.»

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He added that «in several states that are politically aligned with President Trump, the number of alleged noncitizen voters has precipitously dropped when subjected to scrutiny.»

«We see consistently that the number of potential or confirmed noncitizens registered is very small, and those who are voting are even smaller,» he said.

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Hans von Spakovsky expressed that «every vote by an alien cancels and effectively voids the vote of a citizen.» (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

However, Hans von Spakovsky, a former commissioner at the Federal Election Commission and a senior legal fellow at Advancing American Freedom, told Fox News Digital, «The point is that we have an honor system currently with most states doing absolutely nothing to verify citizenship. And we have hundreds of close elections all the time in this country where even a small number of aliens could make the difference in an election.»

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He shared information from his 2024 testimony to Congress in which he said that findings based on official registration records of thousands of aliens showed they are registered in various jurisdictions, including Arizona, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and sanctuary cities like Philadelphia and Chicago.

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Despite these reports, he said, «virtually no prosecutors have expressed any interest in investigating and potentially prosecuting these aliens.»

«The indicators that it is occurring are there, and it is important to understand that every vote by an alien cancels and effectively voids the vote of a citizen,» he said.

Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

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La viuda del presidente de Haití ofrece un testimonio desgarrador sobre el magnicidio

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Martine Moise describió al tribunal la noche de julio de 2021 cuando hombres armados irrumpieron en su residencia, mataron a tiros a su esposo y la hirieron gravemente.

Casi cinco años después de que el presidente de Haití fuera asesinado en su dormitorio, delante de su esposa, el martes esta se ahogó en lágrimas al comenzar a testificar en el juicio celebrado en Estados Unidos contra cuatro de los hombres acusados de planear su asesinato.

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“Por favor, perdónenme”, dijo Martine Moise ante el Tribunal Federal de Distrito de Miami al romper en lágrimas instantes después de subir al estrado.

Utilizando el nombre con el que llamaba a su esposo desde hacía 25 años, el presidente Jovenel Moise, añadió:

“Le prometí a Jo que no volvería a llorar. Llevo tanto tiempo esperando”.

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Testimonio

Vestida con chaqueta, blusa y falda negras, Moise, de 51 años, luchó con sus emociones cuando empezó a describir los acontecimientos de la noche de julio de 2021, cuando unos hombres armados irrumpieron en su residencia, mataron a tiros a su esposo y la hirieron gravemente, lo que sumió a su atribulado país en un caos aún mayor.

El martes, al comenzar el juicio, dijo al tribunal que aquella noche se despertó a eso de la 1 a. m. por el ruido de los disparos y se volvió, aterrorizada, hacia su esposo, que yacía a su lado.

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“Lo miré a los ojos. Estaba en estado de shock”, dijo.

Moise narró que le preguntó:

“Cariño, ¿qué está pasando?”.

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Él respondió: “Cariño, estamos muertos”.

Jovenel Moise, de 53 años, fue abatido a quemarropa poco antes de las 2 a.m., en la culminación de lo que, según la fiscalía, fue una conspiración de un mes orquestada por una empresa de seguridad de la zona de Miami, la Academia Federal de la Unidad Antiterrorista, o CTU por su sigla en inglés.

La fiscalía afirma que la CTU esperaba derrocar al presidente en un “golpe violento” para obtener lucrativos contratos de seguridad de su sustituto.

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Los cuatro acusados, imputados por conspiración “para matar o secuestrar” al presidente, incluían a los copropietarios de la CTU, Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, que es colombiano, y un estadounidense de origen venezolano, Antonio Intriago, quien también se enfrenta a cargos relacionados con la exportación ilegal de chalecos antibalas.

También están acusados James Solages, empleado haitianoestadounidense de la empresa de seguridad, y Walter Veintemilla, estadounidense de origen ecuatoriano que ayudó a financiar el proyecto de la compañía en Haití.

Un quinto acusado, Christian Sanon, pastor haitianoestadounidense y aspirante a candidato presidencial, será juzgado por separado en una fecha posterior debido a problemas de salud.

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La acusación de 2023 imputaba a 11 hombres en una extraña trama en la que estaba implicado un equipo de sicarios formado por unos 20 ex soldados colombianos, la mayoría de los cuales están encarcelados en Haití a la espera de ser juzgados allí.

Cinco acusados en el caso estadounidense se han declarado culpables de participar en la conspiración y han sido condenados a cadena perpetua, y otro se declaró culpable de un cargo de proporcionar chalecos antibalas y fue condenado a nueve años.

Acusación

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Durante las declaraciones iniciales del martes, antes de que Martine Moise testificara, el fiscal, Sean McLaughlin, resumió el caso del gobierno para el jurado, y afirmó que los acusados estaban motivados por “la codicia, la arrogancia y el poder”.

El caso contra los cuatro “no era complicado”, dijo McLaughlin al jurado y explicó que pretendían hacerse con el poder y enriquecerse.

“Tan arrogantes y confiados en sí mismos, como demostrarán las pruebas, y con tan poca consideración con la República de Haití y su pueblo, pensaron que podían conseguirlo”, dijo.

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Dijo que los acusados se comunicaban mediante mensajes de texto cifrados poco disimulados, llamando a Moise “la rata” y “el ladrón”.

También dijo que a veces llevaban uniformes militares estadounidenses falsos y se hacían pasar por funcionarios del Departamento de Estado, la Administración para el Control de Drogas o la CIA.

Los fiscales afirman que la empresa de seguridad también organizó reuniones con líderes de pandillas violentas de Haití para ayudar a deponer a Moise, como parte de varios esfuerzos cada vez más desesperados para derrocarlo en 2021.

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Tras el asesinato de Moise, dijo McLaughlin, uno de los acusados envió un mensaje de texto que decía: “la rata está en la caja”.

Los fiscales afirman que los acusados no expresaron “ninguna conmoción u horror genuinos”, y que estaban concentrados en su plan de fuga, el cual fracasó al verse acorralados y detenidos.

Los abogados defensores sostienen que sus clientes son inocentes y que la empresa de seguridad se vio accidentalmente envuelta en un siniestro plan de oscuras fuerzas haitianas que tergiversaron la legítima misión de seguridad de la empresa en favor de su propio plan para deshacerse de Moise.

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En sus alegatos iniciales, los abogados defensores culparon repetidamente a varios haitianos implicados en el plan, encabezados por un ex funcionario del Ministerio de Justicia haitiano, Joseph Badio, quien fue despedido por Moise por corrupción dos meses antes del asesinato.

“A mi cliente le tendieron una trampa”, dijo Orlando do Campo, abogado de Pretel, quien descartó cualquier mensaje de texto potencialmente incriminatorio como “declaraciones hechas con falsa bravuconería”.

Dijo al jurado que su cliente era un exagente de la ley colombiano entregado a su trabajo, quien durante muchos años había trabajado como informante del FBI en casos delicados relacionados con el narcotráfico y el terrorismo.

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Lejos de dirigir una conspiración encubierta, dijeron los abogados, los propietarios de la empresa de seguridad escribieron una carta a la embajada de Estados Unidos en la que anunciaron su presencia en Haití, e incluso facilitaron los nombres y pasaportes de los 20 soldados colombianos que habían contratado para trabajar allí.

“¿Qué clase de persona que está planeando un asesinato va a la embajada y se anuncia?”, dijo Emmanuel Perez, abogado de Intriago.

Dijo que su cliente estaba en un asado familiar en Texas la noche del asesinato y que no se enteró del ataque a la residencia del presidente hasta más tarde esa mañana.

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Martine Moise volverá al estrado el miércoles por la mañana.

Se espera que el juicio dure entre cuatro y seis semanas.

Su testimonio es la primera vez que habla en detalle sobre el asesinato desde 2021, incluida una larga entrevista con The New York Times apenas tres semanas después del atentado.

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En esa entrevista, describió cómo los disparos le destrozaron el codo cuando los asesinos irrumpieron en la habitación.

“Lo único que vi antes de que lo mataran fueron sus botas”, recordó entonces Moise.

“Luego cerré los ojos y ya no vi nada más”.

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El martes entró y salió del juzgado con la parte inferior del brazo derecho torcida, y los fiscales dicen que el codo le quedó dañado de forma permanente.

Quienes han seguido el caso sienten curiosidad por saber si el juicio finalmente revelará lo que buscaban.

Antes de que el tribunal levantara la sesión el martes, Martine Moise relató cómo, tras oír los disparos, se arrastró escaleras abajo para ver cómo estaban sus dos hijos, ambos veinteañeros, a quienes encontró en el dormitorio de su hijo con un perro de la familia.

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Les dijo que se protegieran de las balas perdidas en un cuarto de baño sin ventanas, y luego volvió a subir a su dormitorio.

Encontró a su esposo escondido en el suelo, a la derecha de la cama, y él le indicó que hiciera lo mismo a la izquierda de la cama y que usaran el colchón como cubierta.

Tumbada boca abajo, dijo que intentó meter la cabeza y la parte derecha del cuerpo debajo de la cama, pero era demasiado baja.

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Fue entonces cuando irrumpieron los hombres armados.

c. 2026 The New York Times Company

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