Prime Minister Narendra Modi Condoled the passing of Haiti’s President Jovenel Mois on Friday. He said he was saddened by the murder of Moises and the attack on Haiti’s First Lady, Martine Moise.
“Saddened by the assassination of President Jovenel Mose and the attack on Haiti’s First Lady Martín Mose. My condolences to the family of President Mose and the people of Haiti. @claudejoseph03,” he tweeted.
Haitian police said at least 28 people perpetrated Moise’s murder. He said 26 of them were Colombians and two were Haitian-Americans.
“We have arrested 15 Colombians and two Americans of Haitian descent. Three Colombians have been killed while eight others are out in the open,” National Director General of Police Leon Charles said at a news conference.
As the killing of Moise plunges the Caribbean nation into peril, here’s what we know about the attack:
murder
Early on Wednesday, around 1:00 a.m. local time, gunmen attacked Moise’s heavily guarded private residence in the capital, Port-au-Prince. Moise was shot and his wife, Martine, was seriously injured. He was taken to a local hospital and later to Miami for treatment.
Magistrate Carl Henry Destin told the Novelist newspaper that Moise had been shot 12 times and that his office and bedroom had been ransacked. The motive and identity of the attackers are unknown.
Moises, 53, a businessman, was elected President of Haiti in 2016 on a pledge to boost the economy of America’s poorest country.
He assumed office on February 7, 2017, but he presided over the deteriorating political and security situation, with gangs running rampant and continuing political tensions.
The deadline for Moise’s mandate was in dispute with the late president saying that his term lasted until February 7, 2022, but others say it ended on February 7, 2021.
Raiders
Haiti’s interim prime minister, Claude Joseph, said the killing was carried out by “English and Spanish-speaking foreigners”.
Haiti’s ambassador to Washington Bokit Edmond said the killers were “professional” mercenaries disguised as US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents.
Haiti Police Chief Leon Charles said security forces involved suspected attackers in an encounter on Wednesday. Charles said police killed four gunmen and took two suspects into custody, while other members of the hit squad are on the run.
state of siege
The interim prime minister, Joseph, declared a “state of siege” in the country, giving himself increased powers for a period of 15 days.
Moise had been ruling by decree, without parliament, since January 2020 and named a new prime minister, Ariel Henry, on Monday, just two days before his death.
Henry, who had not yet assumed his duties, was the seventh prime minister nominated by Moise in four years and is claiming that he – not Joseph – is the rightful prime minister.
In addition to political instability, Haiti has recently been hit by an increase in mass violence, including kidnappings for ransom. Since June, conflict between rival gangs in the western part of Port-au-Prince has paralyzed traffic between the southern part of the country and the Haitian capital.
On June 30, 15 people, including a journalist and an opposition activist, were killed in an encounter in the city.
international concern
The assassination of the Haitian president has made the international community think about the future of a country stricken by political instability, poverty and natural disasters.
Fearing further unrest, the United Nations Security Council, the United States and European countries called for legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 26 September.
A constitutional referendum was also planned for 26 September. It was initially scheduled for June 27, but was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The international airport in Port-au-Prince was closed to prevent the attackers from fleeing the country. The neighboring Dominican Republic closed its border with Haiti and increased security along the border.
(with AFP input)
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