The gunman assassinated the President of Haiti at his home and declared a state of emergency Reuters

Andre Poulter

Port-au-Prince (Reuters)-The President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, was shot and killed by a gunman with a large-caliber weapon in his private residence on Wednesday night.

The assassination caused condemnation from Washington https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-assessing-tragic-attack-that-killed-haiti-president-white-house-2021-07-07 and neighboring Latin In recent months, due to the intensified humanitarian crisis and political turmoil, a series of gang violence has occurred in Port-au-Prince https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haitis-history-violence-turmoil- 2021-07 -07. This chaos has turned many areas of the capital into restricted areas.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph stated in a televised speech after presiding over a cabinet meeting that the government has declared a state of emergency due to confusion over who will take over the control of the country. “My fellow citizens-keep calm, because the situation is under control,” he said.

Joseph said in a statement that the 53-year-old president’s wife Martin Moys was also caught at the couple’s home on the hill above Port-au-Prince at around 1 a.m. local time (0500 GMT). Shot. She is undergoing treatment.

“Early information shows that this is a group of people who speak English and Spanish. They are equipped with high-caliber weapons,” Joseph said in a speech to the country. He said the assassination was “barbaric.”

In a video circulated on social media that Reuters could not verify, the gunman claimed to be a member of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) when entering Moise’s guard residence. A DEA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Joseph said that the police and army have taken control of the security situation. On Wednesday morning, the streets of this bustling capital of 1 million people became quiet and empty after the attack and intermittent gunfire overnight.

According to local media reports, Port-au-Prince International Airport has been closed. The director of the airport could not be immediately reached for comment.

But with Haiti’s political polarization and increasing hunger, worries about the collapse of order are spreading.

The Dominican Republic has closed its border with Haiti on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, except for returning nationals, and has strengthened security.

“This crime is an attack on Haiti and the democratic order in the region,” said Luis Abinad, President of the Dominican Republic.

World leaders condemned the assassination and called for calm.

US President Joe Biden said: “We are ready to help, because we will continue to work for a safe Haiti.” He condemned the killing as “heinous” https://www.reuters.com/world /americas/us-assessing- On July 7, 2021, the Haitian President’s White House was killed in a tragic attack, and the situation was said to be worrisome.

Joseph called on the United Nations to convene a Security Council meeting as soon as possible. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres did not immediately respond to his call, but said that the world agency will “continue to stand with the government https://news.trust.org/item/20210707134902-xg7zy and the people of Haiti.”

Diplomats in New York said that the 15-member committee may meet in the next few days to hear briefings on the assassination.

It is not clear who will succeed Moise as president. He appointed a new prime minister who has not yet been sworn in this week. President of the Supreme Court-Another candidate under the Haitian Constitution died of COVID-19 last month and has not been replaced.

Turbulent history

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere with a population of approximately 11 million. Since the collapse of the Duvalier dictatorship in 1986, it has been striving to achieve stability and has fought a series of coups and foreign intervention.

The UN peacekeeping mission-designed to restore order after the 2004 rebellion toppled the then President Jean-Bertrand Aristide-ended in 2019, and the country is still in chaos https://www.reuters.com/article/ us-haiti-politics idUSKBN1WU2SP. In recent years, Haiti has been hit by a series of natural disasters, and the scars of the 2010 earthquake still exist.

After taking office as president in 2017, Moise, who has transformed from a banana exporter to a politician, faced fierce protests over corruption allegations and his management of the economy.

This year, opposition leaders accused him of trying to establish a dictatorship by extending his term and becoming more authoritarian. He denied these allegations.

After the country’s failure to hold legislative elections, Moise ruled by decree for more than a year. He tried to push for a controversial constitutional reform, which he said would ultimately resolve the problem that caused Haiti’s instability.

The US Embassy said it will be closed on Wednesday due to the “continuing security situation”.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in Washington that the United States is evaluating “tragic attacks.”

“We are always ready and support them to provide any help they need,” she said. “Of course, our embassy and the State Council will maintain close contact, but this is a tragedy. It is important that we stand with them and let the Haitian people know this.”

The United States is Haiti’s largest aid donor and has long been playing a huge influence in its politics. On June 30, it condemned what it said was systematic violations of human rights, fundamental freedoms, and the country’s press. attack. The Biden administration urges the Haitian government to combat the spread of gangs and violence.