Categories: PoliticsTop Stories

Haiti President Jovenel Moïse Assassinated at Home

Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in an attack on his private residence, the country’s interim prime minister said in a statement Wednesday, calling it a “hateful, inhumane and barbaric act.”

First Lady Martine Moïse was hospitalized following the overnight attack, interim Premier Claude Joseph said. The nation of more than 11 million people had grown increasingly unstable and disgruntled under Moïse.

“The country’s security situation is under the control of the National Police of Haiti and the Armed Forces of Haiti,” Joseph said in a statement from his office. “Democracy and the republic will win.”

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, the streets were largely empty in the Caribbean nation’s capital of Port-au-Prince, but some people ransacked businesses in one area.

Joseph said police have been deployed to the National Palace and the upscale community of Pétionville and will be sent to other areas.

Joseph condemned the assassination as a “hateful, inhumane and barbaric act.” He said some of the attackers spoke in Spanish but offered no further explanation.

Haiti’s economic, political and social woes have deepened recently, with gang violence spiking heavily in the capital of Port-au-Prince, inflation spiraling and food and fuel becoming scarcer at times in a country where 60% of the population makes less than $2 a day. These troubles come as Haiti still tries to recover from the devastating 2010 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew that struck in 2016.

Moïse, who was 53, had been ruling by decree for more than two years after the country failed to hold elections, which led to Parliament being dissolved. Opposition leaders have accused him of seeking to increase his power, including approving a decree that limited the powers of a court that audits government contracts and another that created an intelligence agency that answers only to the president.

In recent months, opposition leaders demanded the he step down, arguing that his term legally ended in February 2021. Moïse and supporters maintained that his term began when he took office in early 2017, following a chaotic election that forced the appointment of a provisional president to serve during a year-long gap.

Haiti was scheduled to hold general elections later this year.

Follow us on:

AriseNews

Recent Posts

Netanyahu Risks Arrest in UK as ICC Issues Warrant Against Him For War Crimes

Israeli PM Netanyahu faces potential arrest in the UK as Downing Street pledges to fulfill…

20 mins ago

Second Australian Teen Dies from Suspected Methanol Poisoning in Laos

A second Australian teenager has died of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos, bringing to six…

27 mins ago

Simon Ekpa Arrested, Denies Being IPOB Leader + Atiku Says Tinubu’s Loans Are Bone-Crushing – Trending With Ojy Okpe

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFlFl1mPGC8 The arrest of self-proclaimed Prime minister of the Biafra Republic, Simon Ekpa who was…

59 mins ago

Gatwick Airport South Terminal Evacuated, Bomb Disposal Team Deployed Suspicious Item Found In Luggage

Gatwick Airport's South Terminal was evacuated after a suspected prohibited item was found, prompting bomb…

1 hour ago

Trump Considers Kevin Warsh for Treasury Secretary, Role Of Chairman Of Federal Reserve

Trump is considering Kevin Warsh for Treasury Secretary, with a future possibility of him becoming…

4 hours ago

Hyundai Recalls 145,235 Electrified Vehicles In The US Due To Power Loss Issue

Hyundai has recalled 145,235 electrified vehicles in the US. due to potential loss of drive…

4 hours ago