Key facts
- Eighteen suspects accused in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse were extradited to the U.S. on Sunday.
- The suspects will face trial in the United States.
- US prosecutors allege the planning and financing of the killing were orchestrated from Florida, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
- Joseph Badio, a senior member of the then-Haitian Government, is among the extradited suspects.
- A Miami-based security firm is accused of playing a key role in hiring the suspects.
- Four individuals were previously convicted in a Miami court for their part in the conspiracy.
Eighteen individuals suspected of involvement in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse have been extradited to the United States to face trial. The suspects were flown to Florida on Sunday.
US Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Jason Reding Quiñones, stated on X that the extradition was "the next major phase in our pursuit of accountability" and that 30 suspects have been indicted so far. US prosecutors allege that the planning and financing of the killing were orchestrated from Florida, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
Among the extradited are 17 former Colombian soldiers and Joseph Badio, a senior member of the then-Haitian Government who worked in an anti-corruption unit. A Miami-based security firm is accused of playing a key role in hiring the ex-soldiers. FBI special agent Brett Skiles noted the FBI's commitment to bringing all participants to justice.
Four people were previously convicted in a Miami court in May for their part in the conspiracy. The Colombian ex-soldiers have claimed they believed they were participating in a coup and were unaware of the intention to murder Moïse.
Haiti has been engulfed in gang violence since the assassination, with at least 1,408 people killed and 656 injured from April through June this year, according to the UN Integrated Office in Haiti. The country is preparing to hold its first presidential and legislative election since 2016 on December 13, contingent on the security situation.