BOGOTA, Oct 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A former Colombian military officer wanted by Haitian authorities over the assassination of President Jovenel Moise has been captured in Jamaica, Colombian authorities said.
Mario Palacios is accused of being one of 26 Colombian mercenaries who allegedly took part in the July 7 murder of Moise at his home in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, in which his wife Martine was also shot and wounded.
“We have already been notified about the capture of Mr Palacios. What is happening now… is the extradition process to Haiti,” said Colombia’s police chief Jorge Vargas in a video.
He said he was informed of the arrest by the Interpol office in Kingston, Jamaica.
No details were given about the arrest, nor how Palacios would have managed to reach the neighboring island of Jamaica from Haiti.
Palacios had been the subject of an Interpol red notice.
Three Colombians were killed by Haitian armed forces responding to the attack and 18 more were detained, alongside two US citizens of Haitian descent.
Vargas previously said the captured Colombians claimed that the initial plan was to arrest Moise and hand him over to the US Drug Enforcement Agency.
The mercenaries were contracted by Miami-based Venezuelan security firm CTU.
Colombia’s government has complained about the poor treatment of its citizens by Haitian authorities.
The assassination deepened an already dramatic crisis in Haiti, which is suffering from a lack of security, soaring gang violence and a spate of kidnappings.
The capital has also been paralyzed by fuel shortages caused by gangs controlling oil access, and demonstrations by those angry that gasoline is only available on the black market. — NNN-AGENCIES
