President Abelardo de la Espriella announced on Tuesday that his administration will provide economic and legal support to 17 Colombian military veterans who were extradited to Florida for their alleged role in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. The Colombian leader issued the statement on X, noting that his government would assist the families of the suspects and instruct the ministries of justice and defense to offer legal aid.
The veterans, who worked for a Florida security contractor, are believed to have participated in a July raid on Moïse’s home that led to his death. Three of the men were killed in subsequent clashes, while the remaining 17 were arrested in Haiti. One veteran, Mario Antonio Palacios, escaped but was later extradited to Florida and sentenced to life for conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping. In May, four additional defendants, including a Venezuelan American businessman and a Haitian‑American citizen, were convicted of financing and organizing the plot.
Federal prosecutors say South Florida was a hub for planning and funding the conspiracy to replace Moïse with a figure chosen by the conspirators. Some Colombian suspects claim they were deceived by recruiters who promised security jobs and later tortured in Haitian prisons, forced to sign documents in a language they did not understand.
De la Espriella, who took office in August, has positioned himself as a defender of Colombia’s armed forces. His remarks represent a shift from former President Gustavo Petro’s earlier apology to Haiti’s government for the veterans’ alleged involvement. The Colombian president stressed that he would not abandon “heroes” facing hardship and pledged his government’s support to clarify each individual’s responsibility in the case.
