RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Haiti’s President Jovenal Moise was gunned down by unidentified assailants at his private residence on the night of June 6 in “an inhumane and barbaric act,” acting Prime Minister Claude Joseph said Wednesday. Moise’s wife was injured and was receiving medical attention, Joseph said in a statement.
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The attack comes amid growing political violence in the impoverished Caribbean nation. With Haiti divided politically and facing a growing humanitarian crisis and food shortages, there are fears of the spread of disorder.
“All measures are being taken to ensure the continuity of the state and protect the nation,” Joseph said. Gunfire could be heard throughout the nation’s capital.
Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince has been suffering from increased violence between gangs and between these groups and the police for control of the streets.
The violence has been fueled by increasing poverty and political instability. Moise has faced fierce protests since assuming the presidency in 2017, with the opposition accusing him this year of trying to impose a dictatorship by extending his mandate and becoming more authoritarian –accusations he has denied.