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Supporters of the murdered Haitian President Moise are prevented by security forces from attending his funeral
Photo: Matias Delacroix / dpa
Two weeks after the assassination of Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse, the Caribbean country's national memorial service took place on Friday.
The ceremony in his former private residence in Cap-Haïtien was strictly protected.
Among the participants were family members, but also members of the government and foreign delegations.
The wooden coffin was covered with Haiti's flag.
There were protests in the streets.
According to media reports, shots were also fired.
The 53-year-old was attacked and shot dead by a heavily armed commando in his residence on the night of July 7th.
According to police, Colombian mercenaries carried out the murder.
A Haitian doctor who lived in the United States and an ex-Haitian Justice Department official are believed to be behind it.
After reports of gunfire not far from the ceremony, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the US delegation was safe.
"They are on their way back to the United States," said Psaki.
The Miami Herald reported that the US and United Nations delegations had left the ceremony because shots had been fired.
The widow of the murdered president, Martine Moïse, said at the memorial service that she wanted neither revenge nor violence, but justice.
"You murdered Jovenel, but you cannot murder his vision."
Martine Moïse was injured in the attack and then taken to the United States.
On behalf of the US government, Psaki appealed to the politicians in Haiti to work together to find a way out of the crisis that corresponds to the will of the Haitians.
mjm / dpa