“But, in Haiti, nothing can be taken for granted. The best scenario would be for the acting prime minister and opposition parties to come together and hold elections, Dupuy said. Joseph is likely to lead Haiti for now, though that could change in a nation where constitutional provisions have been erratically observed, said Alex Dupuy, a Haiti-born sociologist at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. The parties added that they hope the National Police will take all necessary measures to protect lives and property, and they called on Haitians to be “extremely vigilant.” “In this painful circumstance, the political forces of the opposition condemn with utmost rigor this heinous crime that is at odds with democratic principles,” their statement said.
The main opposition parties said they were greatly dismayed about the killing. The Supreme Court’s chief justice, who might be expected to help provide stability in a crisis, died recently of COVID-19. It was a testament to Haiti’s fragile political situation that Joseph, a protege of Moïse who was only supposed to be prime minster temporarily, found himself in charge.īut Haiti appears to have few other options. Moïse had been ruling by decree for more than a year after failing to hold elections, and the opposition demanded he step down in recent months, saying he was leading it toward yet another grim period of authoritarianism.
Haiti appeared to be heading for fresh volatility ahead of general elections later this year. The Dominican Republic said it was closing the border and reinforcing security in the area, describing the frontier as ″completely calm.″ government for assistance with the investigation, he said, adding that the assassins could have escaped over the land border to the Dominican Republic or by sea. Moïse’s wife, Martine, was in stable but critical condition and was being moved to Miami for treatment, Edmond said in Washington. Joseph said the heavily armed gunmen spoke Spanish or English, but gave no further details. The DEA has an office in the Haitian capital to assist the government in counternarcotics programs, according to the U.S.
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Sporadic gunshots were heard in the distance, public transportation was scarce, and some people searched for businesses that were open for food and water.īocchit Edmond, the Haitian ambassador to the United States, said the attack on the 53-year-old Moïse “was carried out by foreign mercenaries and professional killers - well-orchestrated,” and that they were masquerading as agents of the U.S. The normally bustling streets of the capital, Port-au-Prince, were empty Wednesday. – Haitian leader's killing draws condemnation, calls for calm.– Jovenel Moïse, Haiti's embattled president, killed at 53.– EXPLAINER: Assassination threatens more chaos for Haiti.Authorities declared a “state of siege” in the country and closed the international airport. He alluded to enemies of the president, describing him as ’’a man of courage″ who had opposed ’’some oligarchs in the country, and we believe those things are not without consequences.″ĭespite Joseph’s assurances that order would prevail, there was confusion about who should take control and widespread anxiety among Haitians. “We need every single one to move the country forward,” Joseph said. In an interview with The Associated Press, Joseph called for an international investigation into the assassination, said that elections scheduled for later this year should be held and pledged to work with Moïse’s allies and opponents alike. Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said the police and military were in control of security in Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas where a history of dictatorship and political upheaval have long stymied the consolidation of democratic rule. Three police officers held hostage by the suspected gunmen were freed late Wednesday after police surrounded a house where some of the suspects were hiding, said Léon Charles, chief of Haiti’s National Police. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) - A squad of gunmen assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse and wounded his wife in an overnight raid on their home Wednesday, with police killing four suspects and arresting two others hours later amid growing chaos in a country already enduring gang violence and protests of his increasingly authoritarian rule.