Haiti's ambassador to the United States, Puket Edmond, said today, Wednesday, that those who assassinated the country's President Jovenel Moise are professional mercenaries, and impersonated employees of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, while Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph chaired an emergency cabinet and declared a state of emergency, and international reactions followed The assassination, and the Security Council is expected to discuss what happened in tomorrow's session.
The Haitian ambassador in Washington told reporters that the assassination of President Moise, 53, early this morning, "was a well-organised attack, and its perpetrators were professional," adding, "We have a videotape, and we believe they are mercenaries."
The ambassador added that the president's killers faked their identities and presented themselves as employees of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
Ambassador Edmund asked the US administration to provide security support to the country to strengthen the police force, including training and equipment, and said that US officials told him that they would study this request, noting that the Haitian police service lacks equipment.
heavy weapons
Haitian Prime Minister Claude Joseph said that, in implementation of Article 149 of the constitution, he presided over an extraordinary council of ministers, which decided to declare a state of emergency throughout the country.
He added that President Moise was assassinated in his private residence, and his wife was wounded by gunmen, some of whom spoke Spanish and English, explaining that the president was shot dead with heavy caliber weapons during the night by unknown assailants inside his house located on the hills overlooking the capital, Port-au-Prince.
The slain president took power in Haiti in 2017, and the opposition was accused of seeking to establish a dictatorship (French)
Martine Marie Aiten, wife of the Haitian president, was taken to hospital for treatment, before the authorities announced her death from her injuries.
The interim prime minister added that he is currently in charge of the country, calling on citizens to maintain their calm in a country witnessing confrontations between gangs and political crises, and stressed that the police and army forces control the security situation.
And the Associated Press (Associated Press) quoted the US government as saying that the authorities closed the international airport in the capital, and announced the imposition of martial law following the assassination of the president, and calm prevailed and the streets were empty today in the capital - which is usually crowded, and inhabited by about one million people - after the attack and after Hearing intermittent gunshots during the night.
And last February, Moyes - who was working in the banana export business before turning to politics - said in a speech that the police had managed to thwart a plot to assassinate him.
Moise's assassination comes at a time when Haiti - the poorest country in the Americas - is experiencing security turmoil, a growing humanitarian crisis and food shortages, as the capital is witnessing a struggle between gangs, and also between them and the police to impose their control on the street.
The worsening poverty and political turmoil in the country caused bloodshed, and Moyes faced violent protests after taking office in 2017, as the opposition accused him this year of seeking to establish a dictatorship by staying in office after the expiry of his term, which he denied.
#ULTIMAHORA
Momento en que sujetos armados con fusiles ingresan en la residencia del presidente de #Haití, #JovenelMoise y lo asesinan junto a su esposa #MartineÉtienne, quien falleció en el hospital debido a las heridas sufridas durante el
pic.twitter.com/9aQf0UwTwX
— Jaime Guerrero (@jaimeguerrero08) July 7, 2021
Moise ruled the country by decree more than a year after the country failed to hold legislative elections scheduled for 2018, and sought to push through controversial constitutional reforms.
international condemnations
After the assassination of the Haitian president, the Dominican Republic closed its borders with Haiti, tightened security measures at the borders, and excluded returnees from the procedure. Dominican President Luis Abi Nader declared that "this crime is an attack on the democratic system in Haiti and the region."
Leaders around the world condemned the attack and appealed for calm, and US President Joe Biden said, "We stand ready to help, and we continue to work for a safe and peaceful Haiti," describing the assassination as "heinous" and the situation in Haiti as worrying.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the assassination of the Haitian President, and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
France strongly condemned the assassination of the Haitian president, and called on its foreign minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian - in a statement - to reveal the features of the crime committed in a deteriorating political and security environment, as he described it.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned Moyes' assassination, describing it as a "heinous act", and warned the European Union of a "vortex of violence" in Haiti.
The UN Security Council expressed its "deep shock" at what happened in Haiti, and diplomatic sources told AFP that the UN Security Council will hold an emergency closed session on Thursday at the request of the United States and Mexico.