Port-au-Prince-Sana
Claude Joseph, the transitional Prime Minister of Haiti, announced that unknown persons attacked the residence of the country's President Jovenel Moise and shot him dead, declaring a state of emergency and calling on citizens to calm down.
Reuters quoted the interim Prime Minister as saying in a statement broadcast on state television that President Jovenel Moise was shot dead this evening by unknown assailants in his private residence. The army and internal security forces will ensure security at this critical stage.
He added that the wife of President Martin Moyes was injured in the attack and that she was receiving the necessary medical care.
The assassination coincided with a wave of gang violence in Port-au-Prince in recent months, fueled by a deepening humanitarian crisis and political unrest, with fears of chaos in the country.
It is noteworthy that the late president faced violent protests after taking office in 2017 due to allegations of corruption and the way in which he managed the country's economy, as the opposition accused him of seeking to establish dictatorship by staying in office after the end of his term, which President Moise denied as well as his rule of the country by decree for more than a year after He failed to hold legislative elections and sought to advance controversial constitutional reforms.
It is noteworthy that Moyes faced strong opposition from large segments of people who considered his mandate illegal.
During his tenure, seven prime ministers headed the government in four years, the last of whom was Joseph, who was supposed to change this week after three months in office.
In addition to the presidential, legislative and local elections, Haiti was supposed to hold a constitutional referendum in September, after it was postponed twice due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In addition to the political crisis, kidnappings for ransom have increased in the country, in a new indication of the growing influence of armed gangs in the Caribbean country, as Haiti is also plunged into chronic poverty and faces frequent natural disasters.