Eighteen suspects in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse have been transferred from Haiti to the United States to face federal charges in Florida, marking a new phase in the long-running investigation into the killing.
The suspects were transported by a U.S. military aircraft and will face proceedings in the Southern District of Florida, according to U.S. authorities. The group includes 17 Colombian nationals and former soldiers and Joseph Félix Badio, a former Haitian Ministry of Justice official.
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U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones said the transfers represented another step in efforts to identify everyone who allegedly financed, facilitated or participated in the plot. The U.S. Justice Department said 30 people have been indicted in connection with the assassination.
Moïse, 53, was fatally shot at his private residence in Port-au-Prince on July 7, 2021, while his wife, Martine Moïse, was seriously wounded. The attack involved a group that included Colombian former military personnel who had been recruited as mercenaries.
The U.S. prosecutions have already produced convictions. In May, four men were convicted in a Miami federal court of charges including conspiring to kill or kidnap Moïse and providing material support for the plot. Prosecutors alleged that the conspiracy was partly organized and financed from South Florida and involved plans to profit from business contracts following Moïse’s removal.
The latest transfers follow years of delays in Haiti’s judicial proceedings, with the investigation hampered by political instability, threats against judges and the expansion of armed gangs. Haitian authorities ultimately cooperated with the transfer of the 18 defendants to the United States.
Among those transferred, Badio has been identified by U.S. and Haitian authorities as a significant figure in the investigation. However, the allegations against the defendants remain subject to proceedings in U.S. courts, and their transfer does not constitute a finding of guilt.
The case remains closely watched as Haiti continues to face severe political and security challenges more than five years after Moïse’s assassination. The country currently has no president and is preparing for presidential and legislative elections, along with a constitutional referendum, scheduled for December 13, provided security conditions permit.
