Four convicted in US over assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moise

Four men have been convicted in the United States for their role in the 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moise, the then President of Haiti.

A federal court on Friday found Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla and James Solages guilty of conspiring to kill or kidnap the Haitian President.

They were also convicted of providing material support for the plot in violation of US law. All four could now face life sentences.

Moise was shot dead at his private residence in July 2021, in an attack that shocked the Caribbean nation and worsened an already fragile political and humanitarian situation.

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Since his killing, Haiti has struggled with instability, gang violence and the absence of elected national leadership.

Prosecutors describe Florida link

According to an Al Jazeera report, US prosecutors said that south Florida played a central role in planning and financing the operation. Investigators argued that the defendants were part of a wider conspiracy that initially aimed to remove Moise from power before turning into a plan to assassinate him.

During the nearly two-month trial, defence lawyers insisted that the accused men were being unfairly blamed. They argued that the operation was originally meant to help Haitian authorities to serve an arrest warrant against Moise amid political disputes over whether he had overstayed his term in office.

The defence also claimed that Colombian mercenaries hired for the operation were supposed to accompany Haitian police officers and not take part in a murder.

However, prosecutors argued that the conspiracy escalated over time and eventually resulted in the president’s assassination.

More trials and plea deals

A fifth defendant, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, is expected to face trial later. Prosecutors have alleged that Sanon hoped to become Haiti’s president after Moise was removed from power. His trial was delayed due to some health reasons.

Eight other individuals have already accepted plea agreements as part of the wider US investigation into the assassination.

Haiti still facing crisis

Haiti has not held national elections since Moise’s death. A transitional council set up in 2024 to prepare for elections was later replaced by US-backed Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, who has promised elections by the end of this year.

The United Nations says that restoring political stability is critical for Haiti, where armed gangs now control large parts of the country.

According to the UN, at least 8,100 gang-related killings were recorded in 2025, while violence and insecurity have forced around 1.5 million people from their homes. The country has also faced repeated natural disasters and worsening humanitarian conditions in recent years.