Gunmen assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moise and wounded his wife in their home early Wednesday, inflicting more chaos on an unstable Caribbean country that was already enduring an escalation of gang violence, anti-government protests and a recent surge in coronavirus infections. Moise, 53, had been ruling by decree for more than a year after the country failed to hold elections and the opposition demanded in recent months that he step down. Former President Michel Martelly, whom Moise succeeded, said he was praying for First Lady Martine Moise, and called the assassination “a hard blow for our country and for Haitian democracy, which is struggling to find its way.”Joseph said Martine Moise, 47, had been shot and was in a hospital. President Biden will be briefed later Wednesday by his national security team, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said during an interview on MSNBC. In recent months, opposition leaders demanded that he step down, arguing that his term legally ended in February.

Source: Los Angeles Times July 07, 2021 10:35 UTC