18 suspects linked to the assassination of former Haitian President Moise have been transported from Haiti to the US to face trial.

Moise, 53, was killed on July 7, 2021, after armed men stormed his private residence in Port-au-Prince. His death plunged Haiti deeper into political instability and insecurity.

The suspects were flown to Florida on a US military aircraft, according to federal prosecutor Jason Reding Quinones, who said the defendants would face proceedings in the Southern District of Florida.

Among those extradited is Joseph Felix Badio, a former anti-corruption official with Haiti’s Ministry of Justice who is considered a key suspect in the investigation. The remaining suspects are Colombian nationals who allegedly participated in the plot.

Colombia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that 17 of its citizens had been transferred from Haiti to the US, while stressing that Bogotá was not involved in the decision or process leading to their transfer.

US authorities have so far indicted 30 people in connection with Moise’s assassination, with 11 already facing charges in American courts over plots allegedly developed on US soil.

In May, four men were convicted in Miami on charges including conspiracy to kill or kidnap Moise, providing material support and violating the US Neutrality Act. They face possible life sentences.

US prosecutors say the four men were connected to CTU, a Florida-based private security company, and were recruited with the expectation of securing lucrative contracts after Moise was removed from office.

Five years after the assassination, Haiti remains engulfed in a severe security and political crisis. Gangs control large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, while kidnappings, armed robberies and carjackings remain widespread.

Haiti is preparing for presidential and legislative elections, alongside a constitutional referendum, scheduled for December 13, provided security conditions allow the polls to go ahead.