On July 7, local time, the Haitian Prime Minister's Office announced that Jovenel Moïse, 53, the president of Haiti, had been assassinated in his private apartment. U.S. media said that Moiz's wife, Martine Moïse, was also injured in the attack and has been sent to Miami, the United States, for treatment, in a stable condition but still not out of danger.
The identity of the attacker is still inconclusive, but the US media "Miami Herald" broke the news that the video taken by local residents at the time of the incident showed that the attacker claimed to be a US Drug Enforcement Administration agent.
For this incident, the United States quickly responded. According to Reuters reported on the 7th, the US government said on the same day that the United States condemned the "heinous" incident and was ready to help Haiti. A State Department spokesman also adamantly denied that the attackers were linked to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, insisting that the allegations were "false reports."
Screenshot of the Reuters report
Biden said: The assassination is heinous and the United States is ready to help
US President Joe Biden issued a statement through the White House on the same day saying that he was shocked by the assassination of Moiz and condemned the incident as "heinous". He said more information was needed on the matter at this time, but the situation in Haiti was "very worrying" and the United States stood ready to help Haiti.
"We are shocked and saddened by the horrific news of the assassination of the President and First Lady of Haiti. We condemn this heinous act. I sincerely wish the First Lady a speedy recovery. "The United States offers its condolences to the Haitian people and stands ready to help keep Haiti safe." ”
U.S. State Department spokesman Price made a similar statement at a news conference on the same day, calling it a "tragedy." Price said U.S. Secretary of State Blinken has been briefed on the assassination of the Haitian president and the security situation, and blinken will maintain regular contact with Haitian Prime Minister Claude Joseph.
The U.S. Embassy in Haiti has issued a security warning on its website on the 7th, saying that in view of the security situation, the U.S. Embassy will be closed on the 7th local time. U.S. media said that the activities of U.S. staff directly employed by the U.S. Embassy in Haiti will also be restricted to the embassy compound until further notice.
The attackers called themselves U.S. agents, which the White House adamantly denied
The Miami Herald, a major Florida newspaper in the United States, broke the news after the incident that the video taken by local people at the time of the incident showed that the attackers claimed to be agents of the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). However, the United States Government firmly denies this claim.
According to the newspaper, there is a person with an American accent in the video holding a megaphone shouting: "Denarco action, everybody back off, ALL back off, everybody back off." The report also mentioned that some local Haitian residents revealed that they heard the sound of high-powered bullets firing accurately at the time of the incident, and saw people dressed in black haunting the vicinity; and there were also claims that drones and grenades exploded at the scene.
A video circulating on social media
The White House has adamantly denied that the attackers were linked to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Reuters said State Department spokesman Price insisted at a news conference that day that the report that the attacker was an Agent for drugs was "absolutely false" and merely "false." He said the United States Government was ready and willing to support the Haitian authorities in conducting an investigation.
"We expect to receive formal requests from Haiti and we stand ready to respond to them." But so far, I have not been able to confirm that the United States has received the request. Price said.
Haiti's ambassador to the United States, Bocchit Edmond, made a similar statement. Edmund said he thought it was unlikely that the attackers would come from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, but rather foreign mercenaries posing as Drug Enforcement Agency agents.
"From the preliminary information, I am sure that they are all foreigners and have been assisted by some local accomplices. They may still be in Haiti, where the national police have begun to pursue them. "We're going to use all the necessary resources to make sure we get hold of them." ”
The leaders of many countries condemned the incident
The news of the assassination of the President of Haiti has aroused great concern in the international community. According to comprehensive reports from foreign media such as CNN and Al Jazeera, leaders and dignitaries of many Latin American countries quickly reacted to this matter.
Colombian President Ivan Duque denounced the assassination as a "cowardly and barbaric act," saying he would remain united with Haiti and calling on the Organization of American States to take urgent action.
The Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs made a similar statement, stressing that Argentina would stand in solidarity with Haiti against acts of violence. In their statement, they stressed the hope that peace and stability would be restored to Haiti as soon as possible and that the perpetrators would be held accountable for their actions.
Chilean President Sebastian Piñera has called on all parties to remain united and peaceful and to find a solution to haiti's current crisis. Bolivian President Luis Arce criticized the "violence" and expressed his condolences to the Haitian people.
European and American dignitaries were also quick to respond. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "shocked and saddened" by Moiz's assassination and called on all parties to remain calm; Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau described the incident as "appalling" and said Canada was "ready" to provide assistance to Haiti.
The EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Josép Borrelli, warned that the assassination of the president could further destabilize Haiti and that "this crime poses a risk of instability and increased violence, and the perpetrators must be found and brought to justice." ”
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned the assassination in "strong terms," calling on the Haitian people to uphold law and order, maintain unity and reject violence in the face of "heinous acts." He said the United Nations would continue to stand with the Government and people of Haiti.
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