Haiti: the funeral of President Jovenel Moïse in emotion and against a background of tension
The wife of the assassinated Haitian president, Martine Moïse, meditates in front of her husband's coffin on Friday July 23, 2021. REUTERS - RICARDO ARDUENGO
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This Friday, July 23, Haiti buried its president Jovenel Moïse, assassinated on July 7 at his home.
The funeral took place in Cap-Haitien, in the north of the country where he was born, in the presence of ministers, politicians and diplomats, in a tense atmosphere.
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A solemn tribute was paid this Friday in Cap-Haitien to Jovenel Moïse, in the family residence.
Jovenel Moïse's coffin, covered with the national flag and the presidential scarf, was exposed on an esplanade, adorned with flowers.
The remains were guarded by soldiers from the Haitian armed forces.
The president's sister, very affected, one of his sons and his widow Martine Moïse took turns to speak.
Her
arm in a sling after being seriously injured in
the attack which claimed the life of her husband
, Martine Moïse bowed to the latter's coffin. And she didn't mince words. "
We plotted against you, condemning you to die in barbarism and cruelty, you always so loyal to them, you were abandoned and betrayed
", she denounced.
"
What crime have you committed to deserve such punishment?
She asked again.
"
He was well aware of the vices of this rotten and unfair system,
" said the grieving wife, wearing a black hat, "
this system which shortly before him wanted to attack
".
"
He found himself overnight with the whole system as a whole, in front of him
", she continued, adding, however, not wanting "
neither revenge nor violence
".
Father Robès Charles, the main celebrant, also wondered about the state of the country: “Are
there still men and women in countries capable of defying the complicity of the forces, and yet who have leads to the ruin of the country.
"
Representatives of foreign delegations, the diplomatic corps and members of the government had followed one another to offer their condolences to the assassinated president.
US President Joe Biden sent a delegation led by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, also including Daniel Foote, the new US envoy for Haiti.
They didn't last forever.
The ceremony was punctuated by cries of anger accusing the police of failing to protect the president.
Police who used tear gas against protesters near the funeral site, where looting of shops was also reported.
Donald Germéus, the correspondent of Radio Télévision Caraïbes, said:
There are supporters, fanatics of the president who were white-hot, especially because of the presence of certain authorities. And when the director general of the national police [Léon Charles] arrived, people were really mad. They hurled insults and insults at Leon Charles throughout the ceremony. And they even committed to attack the CEO. Even during the funeral, gunshots were heard at roadblocks, and the police even had to use tear gas. Some of the authorities even left the funeral even before it was over. The American delegation and the Canadian delegation in particular. After the funeral, the supporters of Jovenel Moïse were really on the war footing, and scenes of looting were recorded.They looted shops belonging to people (...) from the capital. Shops located not far from Jovenel Moïse's home
► To read also: Haiti: gray areas of the investigation into the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse
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Haiti
Jovenel Moses
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Journal of Haiti and the Americas
Special edition: national funeral of Jovenel Moïse