Overview

• The U.S. Justice Department has charged three Americans repatriated from the DR Congo with planning and supporting a failed coup attempt in May 2024.
• The individuals, including Marcel Malanga, son of opposition leader Christian Malanga, had their death sentences commuted to life imprisonment before being returned to the United States.
• The coup plot sought to overthrow the Congolese government and establish a new regime under Christian Malanga, who was killed during the attempt.
• The repatriation follows high-level diplomatic discussions between the U.S. and DR Congo, which also included talks on minerals-for-security agreements and regional stability.
• The charges underscore ongoing international legal and diplomatic efforts to address the fallout from the coup while strengthening U.S.-DR Congo relations.