18 arrested in link to 2021 Haitian president assassination

Eighteen individuals have been detained in connection with the 2021 assassination of Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse, U.S. officials confirmed on Tuesday. Moïse, 53, was shot dead on 7 July 2021 at his private residence in Port‑au‑Prince by an armed contingent estimated at 20 Colombian mercenaries with military training. According to investigators, the hired attackers entered the home under the cover of night, while the president’s security detail failed to intervene, allowing the assailants to carry out the killing that precipitated a wave of political instability and violence across the nation.

The arrests, announced by the U.S. State Department, are part of a broader international effort to unravel the network behind the murder, which has been linked to both domestic factions and foreign actors. Haitian authorities have welcomed the development, noting that the detainees include alleged coordinators and logistical support personnel. While the investigation remains ongoing, officials say the new arrests represent a significant step toward accountability and may help restore some measure of order in a country still grappling with the aftermath of the president’s death.