Haiti President Jovenel Moise was assassinated by unidentified gunmen early Wednesday inside his home, an attack that has also left his wife wounded.
The murder was confirmed by Claude Joseph, the country's interim prime minister. The assassination has thrown the Caribbean country into a deeper hole as gang violence, anti-government protests, and coronavirus infections surge.
Haitian President Assassinated
Haitian police and military are in control of the country, which has long been under dictatorship and political upheaval, Joseph said.
On Wednesday, United States President Joe Biden said the American government was looking to get more information regarding the assassination, which the Democrat said was a "very worrisome" incident. Bocchi Edmond, Haiti's ambassador to the United States, had requested the support of the White House to investigate into the crime and asked the American government to bolster Haiti's police force.
Edmond noted that the criminals responsible for shooting the Haitian president dead have not yet been arrested. He added it was unclear if they stayed in the country or fled to another region. The ambassador said that the killers were most likely highly-trained professional killers. He said video footage of the attack showed the assassins speaking in Spanish, Yahoo News reported.
After learning of the attack, Biden said the United States government expressed its sympathies and was willing and ready to provide its support to the people of Haiti. Jean Yves Le Drian, the French Foreign Minister, called the attack a "cowardly assassination." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was extremely flabbergasted by the incident.
Residents heard gunshot sounds throughout the capital Port-au-Prince even after the murder. Many fear widespread disorder as the country tackles a political divide, a growing humanitarian crisis and food shortage.
In recent years, the country's economic, politica, and social issues have worsened as inflation surge and food and fuel have become scarce. There have been times where about 60% of Haiti's population earns less than $2 per day. Residents are still trying to recover from the effects of the 2010 earthquake and Hurricane Matthew's devastation from 2016.
For more than two years, Moise ruled by decree after a failed election and demands from the opposition, asking him to step down in recent months. Joseph said that while the country's security was under the control of the National Police and the Armed Forces, Democracy and the republic will come out on top, Independent reported.
Injured First Lady
The attack has also left the president's wife, the country's first lady, Martine Moise, injured. She was immediately rushed to the hospital to be treated. Medical professionals said the first lady was still in critical condition on Wednesday afternoon and was quickly transported to Florida. She is being taken care of in Miami.
Democrat Biden also condemned the "heinous" actions and expressed his hopes for the first lady's recovery. The United States embassy has urged staff to take shelter in Port-au-Prince compounds until further notice and told Americans in the country to avoid unnecessary travel until the area is deemed safe, NBC News reported.
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