[ad_1]
Haitian President Jovenel Moise was assassinated at his home this Wednesday morning by a group of armed individuals.
According to interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, who is now in charge of the country, Moise was killed in the early hours of this morning.
Moise’s injured wife is currently in hospital after the attack.
Joseph urged the Haitian public to remain calm and insisted that the police and the army will ensure the safety of the population.
“The president was assassinated in his home by foreigners who spoke English and Spanish,” Joseph said.
Insecurity ravages the country
Moise had ruled Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, by decree, after legislative elections scheduled for 2018 were delayed due to disputes, including over the length of his term.
In addition to the political crisis, kidnappings for ransom have increased in recent months, further reflecting the growing influence of armed gangs in the country.
The president faced strong opposition from sections of the population who deemed his tenure illegitimate, and he went through a series of seven prime ministers in four years.
More recently, Joseph was due to be replaced this week after only three months in office.
In addition to presidential, legislative and local elections, Haiti was due to hold a constitutional referendum in September after being postponed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The current constitution was drafted in 1987 after the fall of the Duvalier dictatorship and declares that “any popular consultation aimed at modifying the Constitution by referendum is strictly prohibited”.
Source link
