US takes custody of suspect in Haitian president slaying

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — U.S. authorities person taken custody of a main fishy successful the sidesplitting of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse, and helium is scheduled to look Tuesday successful national tribunal successful Miami.

Mario Antonio Palacios Palacios was arrested successful Jamaica successful October and was scheduled to alert to his autochthonal Colombia connected Monday. However, Interpol notified Palacios during a stopover successful Panama that the U.S. authorities was extraditing him, said Gen. Jorge Luis Vargas, manager of Colombia’s police.

He said that Colombia, Jamaica and the U.S. were successful interaction to coordinate the deportation and extradition of Palacios to the U.S.

Interpol had issued a reddish alert for Palacios connected charges including attempted murder, equipped robbery and conspiracy based connected a petition from the Haitian government.

It wasn’t instantly wide what charges Palacios faced successful the U.S. oregon whether helium had an attorney. Marlene Rodríguez, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office successful South Florida, told The Associated Press that Palacios was successful U.S. custody and would look successful national tribunal connected Tuesday afternoon. She did not respond to further questions including what charges helium mightiness face.

Meanwhile, the bureau of Haiti’s premier curate issued a little statement, saying lone that it wanted justness to prevail successful the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse astatine his backstage residence. The bureau did not reply to further questions including whether the authorities was inactive seeking to complaint Palacios oregon extradite him to Haiti.

Former Haitian Prime Minister Claude Joseph said the U.S. taking custody of Palacios was successful a measurement successful the close direction, but helium urged section authorities to enactment with the U.S. to extradite him truthful helium tin look justness successful Haiti.

Palacios was 1 of much than a twelve erstwhile Colombian soldiers accused successful the slaying of Moïse. The Colombian authorities has said that the bulk of the ex-soldiers were duped and thought they were connected a morganatic ngo to supply extortion and that lone a fewer knew it was a transgression mission.

More than 40 suspects person been detained, including 19 erstwhile Colombian soldiers. Among them is Palacios, who was a subordinate of Colombia’s subject for 20 years.

Associated Press newsman Harold Isaac successful Port-au-Prince, Haiti contributed to this report.