Colombian President Offers Support to Veterans Extradited to US Over Haitian Leader's Killing

Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella announced Tuesday that his government will provide legal and financial assistance to 17 Colombian military veterans recently extradited from Haiti to Florida to face charges in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

In a message posted on X, de la Espriella stated that the Colombian ministries of justice and defense have been ordered to offer legal support to the extradited individuals, and that his administration will provide economic aid to their families. He emphasized that the innocent should not be punished for the actions of others and expressed a desire to uncover the full truth of the events. "I want to know exactly what happened and for the responsibility of each individual to be cleared up," de la Espriella wrote.

At least 22 Colombian veterans, who were reportedly working for a U.S.-based security contractor, are believed to have been involved in the raid on Moïse's residence that led to his death. Following the assassination, three Colombians were killed in clashes, while the remaining 17 were apprehended in Haiti. Another Colombian veteran, Mario Antonio Palacios, who escaped Haiti, was later extradited to Florida and sentenced to life in prison for conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping.

Federal prosecutors in the U.S. have identified South Florida as a key hub for planning and financing the plot to remove Moïse from power. In May, four additional defendants, including a Venezuelan American businessman and a Haitian-American citizen, were convicted of financing and organizing the assassination plot.

The 17 Colombians now in Florida are among 30 individuals charged in U.S. federal court in connection with the assassination. A former Haitian official is currently on trial. During hearings in Haiti, some of the Colombian suspects claimed they were misled by recruiters who promised them security roles and alleged they were subjected to torture and forced to sign legal documents in a language they did not understand.

Milena Carmona, wife of suspect Jheyner Carmona, expressed relief, stating, "We have evidence that shows that they were taken to Haiti to be used as scapegoats."

De la Espriella, who took office in August, has positioned himself as a strong supporter of Colombia's armed forces. His pledge of support contrasts with the approach of his predecessor, Gustavo Petro, who last year apologized to Haiti for the alleged involvement of Colombian veterans in Moïse's assassination. "I ask for forgiveness, because some white Colombians came here to kill the president of Haiti," Petro had said during a visit to Haiti.