Stories
18 Moise Assassination Suspects Extradited to US for Trial
- •Eighteen suspects in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise have been extradited from Haiti to the US.
- •The suspects will face justice in Florida, with US Attorney Jason Reding Quinones stating the pursuit of accountability continues.
- •Among those extradited were 17 Colombian soldiers and Joseph Badio, a former Haiti Ministry of Justice employee considered a key suspect.
- •The Haitian government cited significant difficulties in its judicial process as a reason for strengthening cooperation with US authorities.
- •Relatives of the Colombian suspects expressed surprise and concern over the sudden extradition, highlighting the inhumane conditions in Haitian prisons.
Key Questions Answered
Eighteen suspects arrested in the July 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, which included 17 Colombian soldiers and former Ministry of Justice employee Joseph Badio, were extradited to Florida in the United States to face justice.
Haiti's Ministry of Justice and Public Security stated that the government surrendered the suspects to allow for their trial and successfully conclude judicial proceedings, as local proceedings continued to face significant difficulties like stalled investigations and gang violence.
In May, a US jury convicted Arcángel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages for conspiring to kill or kidnap Haiti's leader, while at least five others previously pleaded guilty and are serving life sentences.
