Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated: Interim PM

Jovenel Moise

A group of unknown individuals have attacked the private resident of Haiti President Jovenel Moise on Wednesday and shot him dead. According to the Interim Prime Minister, Claude Joseph, the first-lady was hospitalized in the attack and all measures are being taken to guarantee the continuity of the state and to protect the nation. In the early hours of Wednesday, the streets were largely left empty in the nation’s capital of Port-au-Prince, but some people marauded businesses in one area. After the attack, gunshots were heard throughout the capital.

Joseph further added “The country’s security situation is under the control of the National Police of Haiti and the Armed Forces of Haiti, democracy and the republic will win.” Mr Moïse’s time in office has been characterized with various accusations of corruption and misappropriation of fund, he ruled by decree for more than two years after failing to hold elections and the opposition demanded his resignation in recent months.

According to Laurent Dubois, a professor of history at the University of Virginia, “Over the past months, in particular, there have been a lot of warnings coming from observers on the ground that the situation has gotten extremely distressing and deteriorating. This is part of that course of events but it is very difficult to understand exactly what transpired and also, worryingly, exactly what will unfold over the next couple of days in the wake of this.”

The Interim Prime Minister assured the public that police have been deployed to the National Palace, Pétionville and will be sent to other areas.