RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Four alleged assassins of the Haitian president, Jovenel Moise, were killed by the police. Two others were arrested on Wednesday (7), announced the general director of the Police, Léon Charles.
According to the police chief in an appearance with the interim prime minister, Claude Joseph, and other authorities, the operation also resulted in the release of three police officers who had been kidnapped by the alleged perpetrators of the assassination.
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The alleged assassins were intercepted by the police after an intense shootout in the Pelerin sector, where Moise’s residence is located, “shortly before 6 PM”, according to the Secretary of State for Communication, Frantz Exantus, via Twitter.
The Minister of Culture and Communication, Pradel Henriquez, reiterated that the attackers are foreigners who speak Spanish and English but did not provide details on their nationality or identity.
The interim Prime Minister, Claude Joseph, stressed that the security situation in the country is “under control” after Moise’s assassination. He also informed that the forensic report on Moise’s death was completed, and his body was subsequently transferred to a morgue in the capital.
Regarding the state of health of the first lady, Martine Moise was also wounded in the attack; Joseph assured that she is “out of danger” after being transferred to a hospital in Miami (United States).
Joseph also advosed that he had a telephone conversation with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, with whom he discussed the political situation in the country. In particular, they discussed the organization of the presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for next September 26, and the opposition.
“Fortunately, many sectors in the opposition condemned the assassination,” said Joseph, who hours earlier had expressly asked the opposition to join in the repudiation of the assassination.
President Moise was shot dead in the early hours of Tuesday morning during a commando raid by armed men at his residence, an attack in which his wife Martine was also wounded.