United States announces charges against suspect in assassination of Haitian president

The United States Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that it had arrested and pressed charges against a Colombian national in connection with the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse at his home in July last year.

In a statement, the DoJ revealed US officials have Mario Palacios, a former Colombian military officer, in custody, and charges have been filed against Palacios regarding his role in the planned killing of Moïse at his private residence last year. Palacios has been charged with providing material support resulting in death.

“The complaint affidavit alleges that, on July 7, 2021, Palacios and others entered the president’s residence in Haiti with the intent and purpose of killing President Moise, and in fact the president was killed,” reads the statement from the Justice Department.

Palacios was part of a five-person group who entered the Haitian president’s home and shot him to death. The other four suspects are currently in Haitian custody.

When asked by reporters if the Haitian government would pursue extraditing Palacios to Haiti from the United States, a spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office replied, “Prime Minister Ariel Henry wants justice to prevail in the villainous assassination of Jovenel Moïse.”