Port-au-Prince: Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph announced that Haitian President Yovernell Mois was assassinated by a group of armed men at his home early on Wednesday morning.
Joseph said that he is now in charge of this country.
Moise s injured wife was in the hospital, according to Joseph, who urged the public to remain calm, and insisted the police and army would ensure the population s safety.
“The president was assassinated at his home by foreigners who spoke English and Spanish,” Joseph said.
Moise had been ruling Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, by decree, after legislative elections due in 2018 were delayed in the wake of disputes, including on when his own term ends.
In addition to the political crisis, kidnappings for ransom have surged in recent months, further reflecting the growing influence of armed gangs in the Caribbean nation.
Haiti is also facing chronic poverty and recurring natural disasters.
The president faced strong opposition from a large number of people who believed that his authorization was illegal, and he replaced seven prime ministers in four consecutive years. Recently, Joseph was supposed to be replaced this week after only three months in office.
In addition to the presidential, legislative and local elections, Haiti was originally scheduled to hold a constitutional referendum in September, which was postponed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic.
With the support of Moise, the text of the constitutional reform aimed at strengthening the executive branch was overwhelmingly opposed by the opposition and many civil society organizations.
The constitution currently in force was formulated in 1987 after the collapse of the Duvalier dictatorship and declared that “any popular consultation aimed at amending the constitution through a referendum shall be formally prohibited.”
Critics also claim that, given the general insecurity in the country, it is impossible to organize a poll.
