Before that, he had for months denied any role in the attack on July 7, 2021, when Moise was shot and killed in his private residence by a force of more than 20 people, most of them Colombian mercenaries.

According to the indictment, Palacios entered the president’s house with the mercenaries and stole money and jewelry.

The US justice department has ruled that the case — in which 11 people were arrested and charged — falls within its jurisdiction because part of the assassination plot was hatched in south Florida.

So far, three other people have also received life sentences: former Haitian senator Joseph Joel John; a businessman of Haitian and Chilean nationality, Rodolphe Jaar; and another retired Colombian soldier.

Last month in Haiti, a judge indicted dozens of people over alleged involvement in Moise’s assassination, including his widow, a former prime minister and an ex-police chief, according to court documents seen by AFP.

Moise’s death plunged Haiti deeper into chaos. The Caribbean state was already prey to gang violence, but these days gangs control much of the capital Port-au-Prince, and the number of serious crimes has reached record levels.