Former Colombian Soldier Pleads Guilty in Haitian President's Assassination

Mario Palacios, who played a minor role in the plot, is the fifth defendant to plead guilty; sentencing set for March 1.

Mario Palacios, a former Colombian soldier, pleaded guilty to his role in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise.
Palacios is the fifth of 11 defendants to plead guilty in the case, and prosecutors have agreed he played a minor role in the plot.
The initial plan was to kidnap the Haitian president, but the conspirators later decided to kill him, hoping to win contracts under Moise's successor.
Three defendants have already been sentenced to life in prison, and Palacios' sentencing is scheduled for March 1.
In the aftermath of Moise's assassination, Haiti has seen a surge in gang violence, leading to a request for the deployment of a foreign armed force led by Kenya.