New Delhi: Haiti’s President Jovenel Mois was assassinated by a commando at his home early Wednesday. Now one such video has surfaced. Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said he is now in charge of the country. He also asked the people of Haiti to remain calm.
An armed commando assassinated President Jovenel Moise at his residence and seriously injured his wife, Martín Moise.
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Interim PM Claude Joseph said unidentified gunmen stormed the property at 10:30 local time. A purported video surfaced, which seems to have been shot by someone in the neighbourhood.
There have been reports of black-clad men holding high-powered weapons, who may have pretended to be part of a US drug enforcement campaign. Another purported video was shared by Disclosure TV in which the attackers identified themselves as United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents. No official details have been given yet.
NEW – The attackers of Haiti’s president and his wife “identified” themselves as agents of the United States: “DEA operation. Everyone stands down. DEA operation.” The government official thinks the killers were mercenaries.pic.twitter.com/tK4hTLaeCx
— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) July 7, 2021
Joseph called the president’s shooting a “heinous, inhuman and barbaric act”, adding that the attackers were “foreigners who spoke English and Spanish”. The official languages of Haiti are Creole and French.
Security video footage shows a convoy of autos driving down a mountain road to President Moise’s compound and killing him
They are surrounded by armed (police?) running near them. It seems like it’s been a very difficult operation to sneak in a lot of cops and claim they are the DEA pic.twitter.com/J4tKRmvNbV
— Jeb Sprague (@JebSprague) July 7, 2021
There is no official statement regarding these videos.
Addressing the nation, Joseph vowed to bring the killers to justice and said the security situation was “under control”. The state of emergency, or “state of siege”, allows for restrictions on the use of the military for gatherings and police roles, along with other extensions of executive powers.
Joseph stated that “all measures have been taken to ensure continuity” and that “democracy and the republic will triumph”.
Moise has led Haiti, one of the world’s poorest countries, since 2017 but faced widespread protests demanding his resignation. The country’s recent history has been riddled with coups, political instability and widespread mass violence.
First Lady Martine Moise is being treated at the hospital. Ambassador Edmund said she was in a critical condition and efforts were being made to transfer her to Miami, media reports said.
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