US Takes 18 Suspects in Killing of Haitian President to Florida for Trial
The United States has taken 18 suspects accused of involvement in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse from Haiti to Florida to face federal charges.
The suspects were transported on a US military aircraft, marking a major new phase in the five-year investigation. US prosecutors say 30 people have now been indicted in connection with the assassination.
Among those transferred is Joseph Felix Badio, a former Haitian Justice Ministry official and a key suspect in the investigation. The other 17 are Colombian nationals, according to Haitian authorities and AFP. Colombia’s government confirmed the transfer of 17 of its citizens to the United States.
Moïse, 53, was shot dead at his private residence in Port-au-Prince on July 7, 2021, in an attack involving Colombian former soldiers. His wife, Martine Moïse, was also wounded.
US prosecutors allege that the assassination plot was largely organised and financed from South Florida, where several suspects were based.
In May, a US federal jury convicted four men accused of helping organise the plot. At least five other defendants have previously pleaded guilty and received life sentences.
US Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones said the latest transfers demonstrate Washington’s determination to pursue everyone who financed, facilitated or participated in the assassination.
The extraditions also reflect the difficulties facing Haiti’s own justice system. Haitian authorities said proceedings have been repeatedly delayed by gang violence, threats against judges and instability within the country’s courts.
The suspects will now face proceedings in federal court in South Florida, while investigators continue efforts to establish the full network behind Moïse’s killing.
