Residents of Lytton, British Columbia, were able to see the remains of their homes on Friday for the first time since they were forced to flee for their lives days ago.The central British Columbia town made headlines at the end of June for breaking Canada’s heat record — hitting 49.6°C (121.28°F) at its hottest — and then it was almost destroyed in a forest fire caused in part by the heat wave.The town of about 250 people had just minutes to evacuate on June 30, along with roughly 2,000 people living in nearby Indigenous communities, after a forest fire was started by what authorities suspect was human activity.Ninety percent of the town was destroyed, Lytton Mayor Jan Polderman said.”A few buildings survived in town but nearly every home in the center of the village is gone. Where many buildings stood is now simply charred earth,” Polderman wrote in an open letter published in the Merritt Herald, the local newspaper. “We want everyone to know that their bravery was incredible in the face of this unimaginable horror.”Residents had not been able to return to the town until Friday because of ongoing fires and toxic substances in the area. Roughly 250 people, including residents and media, were taken on bus tours of the town Friday afternoon, according to Thompson-Nicola Regional District, which organized the tours.”Didn’t get much sleep last night thinking about the bus tour into Lytton today,” resident Edith Loring-Kuhanga posted on Twitter. “I know it’s going to be heartbreaking but I need to go see our little town even though it’s decimated!”The scenes were a shock to residents, one told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.”We’ve seen the videos, but until you actually see it, it’s hard to believe,” Chloe Ross said. “I understand why others don’t want to go. Nothing about this feels real.”Two people died in the fire. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who have been coordinating family reunification efforts, said Friday that no one had been reported missing so far.
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The Colombians implicated in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise had been recruited by four companies and traveled to the Caribbean nation in two groups via the Dominican Republic, the head of Colombia’s police said Friday.Haitian National Police Chief Léon Charles said 17 suspects have been detained in the killing of Moise.At a news conference in Colombia’s capital, Bogota, General Jorge Luis Vargas Valencia said four companies had been involved in the “recruitment, the gathering of these people” implicated in the assassination, although he did not identify the companies because their names were still being verified.Two of the suspects traveled to Haiti via Panama and the Dominican Republic, Vargas said, while the second group of 11 arrived in Haiti on Sunday from the Dominican Republic.National Police Director Gen. Jorge Luis Vargas speaks at a press conference regarding the alleged participation of former Colombian soldiers in the killing of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse, in Bogota, Colombia, July 9, 2021.Vargas pledged Colombia’s full cooperation after Haiti said about six of the suspects, including two of the three killed, were retired members of Colombia’s army. U.S.-trained Colombian soldiers are heavily recruited by private security firms in global conflict zones because of their experience in fighting leftist rebels and powerful drug cartels.Recruited to provide ‘protection’The wife of one former Colombian soldier in custody said he had been recruited by a security firm to travel to the Dominican Republic last month.The woman, who identified herself only as Yuli, told Colombia’s W Radio that her husband, Francisco Uribe, had been hired for $2,700 a month by a company named CTU to travel to the Dominican Republic, where he was told he would provide protection to some powerful families. She last spoke to him, she said, at 10 p.m. Wednesday, almost a day after Moise’s killing, and he was on guard duty at a house where he and others were staying.”The next day he wrote me a message that sounded like a farewell,” the woman said. “They were running. They had been attacked. … That was the last contact I had.”The woman said she knew little about her husband’s activities and was unaware he had even traveled to Haiti.Uribe is under investigation for his alleged role in extrajudicial killings by Colombia’s army more than a decade ago. Colombian court records show that he and another soldier were accused in 2008 of killing a civilian whom they later tried to present as a criminal slain in combat.Besides the Colombians, among those detained by police were two Haitian Americans. Some of the suspects were seized in a raid on the Taiwan Embassy, where they are believed to have sought refuge.Plan allegedly was to arrest, not killInvestigative Judge Clément Noël told the French-language newspaper Le Nouvelliste that the Haitian Americans arrested, James Solages and Joseph Vincent, had said the attackers originally had planned only to arrest Moise, not kill him. Noël said Solages and Vincent had been acting as translators for the attackers, the newspaper reported Friday.FILE – Journalists stand next to a yellow police cordon near the residence of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise after he was shot dead by unidentified attackers, in Port-au-Prince, July 7, 2021.The attack, which took place at Moise’s home before dawn Wednesday, also seriously wounded his wife, who was flown to the U.S. city of Miami, Florida, for treatment.The U.S. State Department said it was aware of reports that Haitian Americans were in custody but would not comment.Solages, 35, described himself as a “certified diplomatic agent,” an advocate for children and a budding politician on a now-removed website for a charity he started in 2019 in South Florida to assist residents of his hometown of Jacmel, on Haiti’s southern coast.Solages also said he had worked as a bodyguard at the Canadian Embassy in Haiti, and on his Facebook page, which was also taken down after news of his arrest, he showcased photos of armored military vehicles and of himself standing in front of an American flag.Canada’s foreign relations department released a statement that did not refer to Solages by name but said that one of the men detained for his alleged role in the killing had been “briefly employed as a reserve bodyguard” at its embassy by a private contractor.Calls to the charity and Solages’ associates went unanswered. However, a relative in South Florida said Solages did not have any military training, and that he didn’t believe Solages was involved in the killing. “I feel like my son killed my brother because I love my president and I love James Solages,” Schubert Dorisme, whose wife is Solages’ aunt, told WPLG in Miami.The Taiwan Embassy in Port-au-Prince said police had arrested 11 individuals trying to break into the compound early Thursday.
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WASHINGTON / PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI / MIAMI – Residents of the Jalousie slum in the Haitian capital say they discovered several of the alleged killers linked to the assassination of President Jovenel Moise and helped the national police to arrest them.   “We saw three guys appear in the neighborhood and they were asking us for information. One of the guys tried to fight us, so the residents of Jalousie banded together and we captured them, brought them down to the police station and handed them over,” a Jalousie resident told VOA Creole on condition of anonymity. He said some of the men were naked and threw their weapons into the brush. Another Jalousie resident who spoke to VOA Creole in front of the police station where the suspects are being held said they were easy to identify because of their skin color.   “The people of Jalousie, when we heard that the mercenaries were in our neighborhood – we went to look for them and we found them hiding in the brush,” the man, who did not give his name, told VOA. “These guys came to our country because we are a small (nation) and they tried to overpower our legal system. I can tell you that as a young man, this is the first time I’ve ever experienced something like this. I only previously read about things like this in history books.”   Another man who said he helped apprehend the foreigners said Jalousie residents are angry over the killing by foreigners of their president.   “It’s our president they killed, so we couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. He was the president of the Haitian people. This morning (Thursday) we helped police arrest four men, we want to make them talk (now) and we’ll keep looking for the rest of them who are still hiding out there somewhere,” said the man. “We will turn them over to police. We want them to tell us who plotted with them to kill the president. We will search and find each and every one of them.” Suspects in the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise are shown to the media at the General Direction of the police in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 8, 2021.In custody  
 
More than a dozen people have been detained in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, officials said late Thursday. Haitian authorities described a heavily armed hit squad of 28 “mercenaries,” made up of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans, involved in the killing of Moise, 53, at his private residence in a wealthy suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, before dawn on Wednesday. Haiti National Police Director Leon Charles said Thursday that 17 men had been detained — the two American citizens and 15 Colombians. Charles said that three suspects had been killed and eight were still at large. Earlier, police had said four suspects had been killed. Neither Charles nor police officials explained the discrepancy. “The pursuit of the mercenaries continues,” Charles said. “Their fate is fixed: They will fall in the fighting or will be arrested.” Early Friday, Taiwan released a statement saying that 11 suspects were caught on the grounds of its embassy in Port-au-Prince after attempting to flee police. “The police launched an operation around 4:00 p.m. (Thursday) and managed to arrest 11 suspects,” the Taiwanese Embassy statement said. Communiqué de Presse Concernant l’Arrestation des Mercenaires à l’Ambassadehttps://t.co/tluc2p2YEf— Embassy Republic of China(Taiwan) in Haiti (@Tw_Haiti) July 9, 2021Mathias Pierre, Haiti’s minister of elections, Thursday identified the two Haitian Americans as James Solages, 35, and Joseph Vincent, 55. The U.S. State Department has not confirmed the reports that two U.S. citizens are in detention. Late Thursday, Colombia’s government confirmed that at least six of the suspects, including two of those killed, appeared to be retired members of the Colombian army. It did not identify the suspects. 
 FILE – Congresswoman Frederica Wilson speaks outside of of the Little Haiti Cultural Center, May 25, 2021, in Miami.Miami diaspora reacts  
 
In Miami, U.S. Representative Frederica Wilson met with members of the Haitian diaspora in the Little Haiti neighborhood Thursday to discuss the Moise assassination.   
 
“It frightens me to think that somebody would come into the president’s home and murder him. I mean, who does that?! And how did they get in?” Wilson told VOA, adding that she was very pleased with the turnout.  
 
Wilson expressed fear that the situation in Haiti will soon deteriorate and said the U.S. should take action.  
 
“It’s really the State Department who needs to act today because this is just the calm ahead of the storm and it’s going to be real bad,” Wilson told VOA.  
 
Over 200,000 Haitian Americans call the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida area home, according to the Migration Policy Institute. 
 
Haitian American activist Marleine Bastien, who heads the Family Action Network Movement, FANM, told VOA she was alerted to the news of the assassination in the early morning hours of Wednesday, when she began receiving phone calls.  
 
“We are shocked, we are saddened because the fact that thugs were able to enter the president’s home and assassinate him shows that no one is safe in Haiti,” Bastien told VOA in Creole.  
 
She said going forward the diaspora has an important role to play in helping Haiti get back on its feet.  
 
“Stay calm, don’t participate in violence. Let’s speak with one voice,” Bastien said, addressing Haitians back in her native land as well as the diaspora.  “We need a council of government that can create a national dialogue, listen to voices from all sectors of society and develop a short-term and long-term strategy for the country. Haiti is a blessed country. Haiti has a global diaspora that loves the homeland. We have resources, we have competent people all over the world who are ready to pitch in to help rebuild Haiti. “  
 
The need for a national dialogue was also expressed by Father Reginald Jean-Marie, who works at the Notre Dame Catholic Church in Little Haiti.  
 
“There must be a national council, a council of wise people, who reflect all sectors of society who can name a group of serious people who can organize credible elections to lead Haiti out of this crisis,” Father Jean Marie told VOA. “That way, President Moise and all the other Haitians who have been killed will not have died in vain.” 
 
The Haitian priest said the international community also has an important role to play in helping Haiti.  
 
“The international community needs to be honest in its dealings and not just offer up a band-aid but effect real change. There is currently a constitutional vacuum plaguing the country. We see an acting prime minister making decisions – who had recently been fired, who had officially resigned, who had returned to his position as foreign minister – we know Haiti needs leadership, we thank Claude Joseph for stepping in to fill the void, but Haiti cannot go on like this,” Father Jean-Marie said.  
 Leadership vacuum  
 
A day before his death, President Moise had named Ariel Henry, a Haitian politician and neurosurgeon, to replace Joseph as prime minister. In a brief interview with the Associated Press, Henry claimed he was the prime minister, but he acknowledged it was an unusual situation. 
 
Haiti’s constitution says Moise should be replaced by the president of the country’s Supreme Court, but the chief justice died recently from COVID-19.Claude Joseph, Haiti’s acting prime ministerHaiti is currently under a “state of siege,” announced by interim Prime Minister Joseph a few hours after President Moise’s assassination.  An official decree issued Wednesday said the state of siege would be in effect for 15 days.  In addition, the country’s border with the Dominican Republic and its airports are closed.  
 
Brian Concannon, a human rights lawyer, a former United Nations human rights officer, and the founder of the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, told VOA that the state of siege allows police to do “anything necessary” in pursuit of the killers. “Although almost everybody wants the police to pursue the killers effectively, there’s great concern that this can be abused to round up political opponents,” he said. “There really is nothing — no structures to stop the government from arresting its political opponents under this decree.” 
 
The U.S. has pledged to help Haiti investigate the president’s assassination.  Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 9 MB480p | 13 MB540p | 17 MB720p | 37 MB1080p | 69 MBOriginal | 238 MB Embed” />Copy Download Audio
 State Department correspondent Cindy Saine contributed to this report, which includes some information from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. 
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More than a dozen people have been detained in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, officials said late Thursday.Haitian authorities described a heavily armed hit squad of 28 “mercenaries,” made up of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans, involved in the killing of Moise, 53, at his private residence in a wealthy suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, before dawn on Wednesday.Haiti National Police Director Leon Charles said Thursday that 17 men had been detained, the two American citizens and 15 Colombians.Charles said that three suspects had been killed and eight were still at large. Earlier, police had said four suspects had been killed. Neither Charles nor police officials explained the discrepancy.”The pursuit of the mercenaries continues,” Charles said. “Their fate is fixed: They will fall in the fighting or will be arrested.”Early Friday, Taiwan released a statement saying that 11 suspects were caught on the grounds of the embassy in Port-au-Prince after attempting to flee police.”The police launched an operation around 4:00 p.m. (Thursday) and managed to arrest 11 suspects,” the Taiwanese Embassy statement said.Mathias Pierre, Haiti’s minister of elections, Thursday identified the two Haitian Americans as James Solages, 35, and Joseph Vincent, 55.The U.S. State Department has not confirmed the reports that two U.S. citizens are in detention.Late Thursday, Colombia’s government confirmed that at least six of the suspects, including two of those killed, appeared to be retired members of the Colombian army. It did not identify the suspects.Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph placed the country under a “state of siege” — in effect, martial law.”This death will not go unpunished,” Joseph told the impoverished nation of 11 million people in an address Wednesday.Brian Concannon, a human rights lawyer, a former United Nations human rights officer, and the founder of the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, told VOA that the state of siege allows police to do “anything necessary” in pursuit of the killers.”Although almost everybody wants the police to pursue the killers effectively, there’s great concern that this can be abused to round up political opponents,” he said.”There really is nothing — no structures to stop the government from arresting its political opponents under this decree.”Police officers patrol in search for suspects in the murder Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 8, 2021.Officials did not provide much further detail about the detained suspects, those killed in the gun battle or what led police to them. They said only that the attack was carried out by “a highly trained and heavily armed group,” with the assailants speaking Spanish or English.The motivation for the assassination remains unclear. Haiti has long endured poverty and political turmoil, however.Carl Henry Destin, a Haitian judge, told Le Nouvelliste newspaper that the attackers had posed as agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, but both U.S. and Haitian officials said the gunmen had no links to the agency.Destin told the newspaper the attackers tied up a maid and another household staff worker as they headed to the president’s bedroom, where they shot Moise at least 12 times.”The offices and the president’s bedroom were ransacked,” Destin said. “We found him lying on his back, blue pants, white shirt stained with blood, mouth open, left eye blown out.”Moise’s wife, Martine Moise, was injured in the attack and airlifted more than 1,100 kilometers to a trauma center in Miami, Florida, in the United States. Joseph, the prime minister, said she was “out of danger” and in stable condition.While Joseph claimed leadership of Haiti, which shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, his tenure may be short-lived.Haiti’s constitution says Moise should be replaced by the president of the country’s Supreme Court, but the chief justice died recently from COVID-19. In addition, a day before his assassination, Moise had named Ariel Henry, a Haitian politician and neurosurgeon, to replace Joseph as prime minister.In a brief interview with The Associated Press, Henry claimed he was the prime minister, but he acknowledged it was an unusual situation.The United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting for Thursday afternoon to discuss Haiti’s crisis. In a statement, its members called for “all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint” and avoid “any act that could contribute to further instability.”U.S. President Joe Biden said he was “shocked and saddened” by the assassination.”We condemn this heinous act,” Biden said in a statement. “I am sending my sincere wishes for first lady Moise’s recovery.”State Department correspondent Cindy Saine contributed to this report, which includes some information from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. 
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Anti-poverty organization Oxfam said Thursday that 11 people die of hunger each minute and that the number facing faminelike conditions around the globe has increased six times over the last year.In a report titled The Hunger Virus Multiplies, Oxfam said that the death toll from famine outpaces that of COVID-19, which kills around seven people per minute.”The statistics are staggering, but we must remember that these figures are made up of individual people facing unimaginable suffering. Even one person is too many,” said Oxfam America’s president and CEO, Abby Maxman.The humanitarian group also said that 155 million people around the world are now living in crisis levels of food insecurity or worse — some 20 million more than last year. Around two-thirds of them face hunger because their country is in military conflict.”Today, unrelenting conflict on top of the COVID-19 economic fallout, and a worsening climate crisis, has pushed more than 520,000 people to the brink of starvation,” Maxman said. “Instead of battling the pandemic, warring parties fought each other, too often landing the last blow to millions already battered by weather disasters and economic shocks.”Despite the pandemic, Oxfam said that global military spending increased by $51 billion during the pandemic — an amount that exceeds by at least six times what the U.N. needs to stop hunger.The report listed a number of countries as “the worst hunger hotspots,” including Afghanistan, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen — all embroiled in conflict.”Starvation continues to be used as a weapon of war, depriving civilians of food and water and impeding humanitarian relief. People can’t live safely or find food when their markets are being bombed and crops and livestock are destroyed,” Maxman said.The organization urged governments to stop conflicts from continuing to spawn “catastrophic hunger” and to ensure that relief agencies could operate in conflict zones and reach those in need. It also called on donor countries to “immediately and fully” fund the U.N.’s efforts to alleviate hunger.”We work together with more than 694 partners across 68 countries. Oxfam aims to reach millions of people over the coming months and is urgently seeking funding to support its programs across the world,” the report’s press release said.Meanwhile, global warming and the economic repercussions of the pandemic have caused a 40% increase in global food prices, the highest in over a decade. This surge has contributed significantly to pushing tens of millions more people into hunger, said the report.
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At Radio Soleil, the usual playlist of pulsing Haitian “compas” dance music has been replaced this week with more somber tunes and political analysis as listeners across the diaspora reel from the shock of Haiti President Jovenel Moise’s assassination.Broadcasting from the station’s small Brooklyn storefront, director Ricot Dupuy has fielded calls suggesting dark theories about the assassins or sharing fears for a motherland becoming further disarrayed.Many of Dupuy’s listeners were among the waves of Haitians who fled a country long plagued by the legacy of colonialism, poverty, coups and catastrophic earthquakes. They now live in apartment buildings lining the blocks around the radio station in Brooklyn’s Flatbush neighborhood or in Miami’s Little Haiti, home to the largest diaspora communities outside the Caribbean.After Moise was killed early Wednesday, they have fretted over the WhatsApp text chats and audio memos they get from relatives back in Haiti who describe being cooped up in their homes as the nation is now all but locked down.Country’s ‘sad reality’Dupuy, who speaks in Haitian Creole with dabs of English on air, said his revised programming since Moise’s killing was meant “to reflect the sad reality of the country, not necessarily to shed tears over his death.””A lot of Haitians are happy that he’s gone, but they’re not rejoicing over his death because we don’t know who killed him,” said Dupuy, who shares the views of some Haitians that Moise was corrupt and autocratic.Haitian police have killed four people suspected of carrying out the assassination and arrested six more, including two Haitian Americans, the elections minister said Thursday. The motive is still unclear.A youth peers though the closed gate at the border with Haiti in Jimani, Dominican Republic, July 8, 2021. Dominican President Luís Abinader closed the border on Wednesday, after Haitian President Jovenel Moise’s assassination was reported.A state of emergency has been declared and the airport shut, while the neighboring Dominican Republic has closed its border.In interviews on Thursday, many Haitian Americans said the turmoil left them feeling more helpless than ever for the troubled country, able to offer little more than prayers.Rebeca Lafond, the constituent affairs director for a New York legislative district that includes Brooklyn’s Little Haiti, said she had watched her mother try to make contact with relatives back in Port-au-Prince while her father listened to Creole radio for news from back home.”My mom is thinking, ‘Maybe I should send money?’ ” said Lafond, 23, who came to the United States when she was 3. “But if you send money over there, they can’t leave their homes to get the money anyway because of everything that’s happening.”Plans upendedFor Francois Pierre-Louis, a political science professor at New York’s Queens College, months of advocacy now seem threatened. He has been working through his religious aid group Faith in Action to get the U.S. government to send COVID-19 vaccines to his native Haiti, one of the few countries that have not begun vaccinating residents.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 9 MB480p | 13 MB540p | 17 MB720p | 37 MB1080p | 69 MBOriginal | 238 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioOn Tuesday, a colleague received a voicemail from the White House confirming the United States would send a small shipment of vaccines to Haiti next week. The impact of the assassination on the shipment is unclear, Pierre-Louis said.He signed a letter to the White House on Thursday stressing urgency.”We have to move fast,” he said. “Now there’s a big vacuum.”Moise’s death has generated confusion about who is the next legitimate head of state. The interim prime minister in Haiti has taken over the leadership role for now but not everyone agrees he should be in charge.Before the assassination, the family of Romy Vilsaint – who died in May at age 12 – was trying to secure an emergency waiver through the U.S. State Department that would allow his mother and aunt to travel from Haiti to attend his funeral in Brooklyn on Saturday.Kate Chaltain, an immigration lawyer helping the family, said the chaos had made a tricky situation even more so.”Even if they were able to expedite it immediately, I don’t really know how they’d be able to get the necessary documents to his mom and his aunt — and even if they did, if they would actually be able to get out,” she said.’Crazy’Standing outside her apartment in Miami’s Little Haiti, Gracieuse Jean, 40, said it scared her that she was still waiting to hear from her brother and three sisters back in Cap Haitien.”I want my people to come and live here,” she said. “But even if they want to apply for a visa, they can’t even try. Port-au-Prince is closed. It’s completely locked down. The whole situation is crazy.”Jean Derival, a taxi driver in Boston who left Haiti 17 years ago, said he checked in on Thursday with his brother, mother and father back in the Caribbean.Rather than discuss what was happening, he said he simply told them: “Stay home, stay safe.”
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The U.N.’s top diplomat in Haiti said Thursday that there have been more arrests in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and that police have surrounded a larger group of possible suspects at their hideouts.“What I have now is that in the last 12 hours, reports have emerged that four members of the group that raided the presidential residence have been killed, while another six are now in police custody,” Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Haiti Helen La Lime told reporters via a video link from Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. “I am also aware that a larger group of possible perpetrators have taken refuge in two buildings in the city, and that they are now surrounded by the police.”She said she could not confirm that those numbers were the most up-to-date.On Wednesday, Haitian officials had said four suspects were killed in a shootout with police, while two others they described as “mercenaries,” were arrested.La Lime briefed the U.N. Security Council in a private meeting following Wednesday’s shocking assassination of President Moïse in an attack that also badly injured his wife, Martine.World Leaders React to Killing of Haiti’s Moïse President was killed Wednesday La Lime said Haiti’s U.N. envoy, Antonio Rodrigue, asked the council for additional security assistance. The U.N. no longer has a peacekeeping mission on the island, only a political one.“We should be looking at this assistance. Haiti needs to specify exactly what it is they are after,” she said. “In the meantime, we need to continue to use the technical assistance we have on the ground, maybe render it more dynamic, so that we can call on additional support.”She said the next two weeks will be critical in making sure the investigation moves forward and that the perpetrators are brought to justice.In a statement late Wednesday, the 15-nation U.N. Security Council strongly condemned the assassination and called for justice. The council also urged all political stakeholders in the country to refrain from any acts of violence or inciting people to violence. The council appealed for calm, restraint and dialogue, and the avoidance of any act that could lead to more instability.Key Events in Haiti Before Killing of Haitian President Moise Assassination occurred amid political and other crises in the Caribbean country Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph says he has taken charge of the country and declared a “state of siege.” Haiti is without a functioning parliament and there are fears the assassination could trigger deepening instability.La Lime said Joseph has assured the U.N. that his government is committed to dialogue and to continuing the process to hold elections on time. A first round of presidential and parliamentary elections is planned for September 26, and a second round in November.On Wednesday, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield met with her Haitian counterpart. In a statement, she expressed condolences on the assassination of Haiti’s president and the attack on his wife and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.“The United States echoes calls for calm, and we are committed to working together to support democracy, rule of law, and peace in Haiti,” she said. 
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Haiti was engulfed in chaos Thursday, a day after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated, with authorities vowing to hunt down more alleged mercenaries responsible for shooting him to death in the bedroom of his home.
 
Police said late Wednesday they had killed four assassination suspects in a gun battle in the capital of Port-au-Prince, arrested two others, and freed three officers who had been held hostage. At least two other suspects were arrested Thursday, according to police.4 Suspects in Moise Assassination Die in ShootoutHaiti’s National Police chief says two other ‘mercenaries’ were arrested in standoff, three policemen held hostage rescued “The pursuit of the mercenaries continues,” said Léon Charles, director of Haiti’s National Police. “Their fate is fixed: They will fall in the fighting or will be arrested.”Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph placed the country under a “state of siege” – effectively martial law.“This death will not go unpunished,” Joseph told the impoverished nation of 11 million people in an address WednesdayWorld Leaders React to Killing of Haiti’s Moïse President was killed Wednesday But officials did not provide any details about those killed in the gun battle or the detained suspects, nor what led police to them. They said only that the attack was carried out by “a highly trained and heavily armed group,” with the assailants speaking Spanish or English.
 
The motivation for the assassination remained unclear, but Haiti has long endured poverty and political turmoil.
 
Carl Henry Destin, a Haitian judge, told the Nouvelliste newspaper that the attackers had posed as agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, but both U.S. and Haitian officials said the gunmen had no links to the agency.  Haiti: What We Know Latest developments following the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse Destin told the newspaper the attackers tied up a maid and another household staff worker as they headed to the president’s bedroom, where they shot Moise at least 12 times.
 
“The offices and the president’s bedroom were ransacked,” Destin said. “We found him lying on his back, blue pants, white shirt stained with blood, mouth open, left eye blown out.”
 
Moise’s wife, Martine Moïse, was injured in the attack and was airlifted more 1,100 kilometers to a trauma center in Miami, Florida, in the United States. Joseph said she was “out of danger” and in stable condition.
 
While Joseph claimed leadership of Haiti on the Caribbean Island of Hispaniola it shares with the Dominican Republic, his tenure may be short-lived.
 Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
download this video to view it offline.Download File360p | 9 MB480p | 12 MB540p | 15 MB720p | 35 MB1080p | 65 MBOriginal | 79 MB Embed” />Copy Download AudioHaiti’s constitution says Moise should be replaced by the president of the country’s Supreme Court, but the chief justice died recently from COVID-19. In addition, a day before his assassination, Moise had named Ariel Henry, a Haitian politician and neurosurgeon, to replace Joseph as prime minister. In a brief interview with the Associated Press, Henry claimed he is the prime minister, but he acknowledged it was an unusual situation.
 
The United Nations Security Council called an emergency meeting for Thursday afternoon to discuss Haiti’s crisis. In a statement, its members called for “all parties to remain calm, exercise restraint” and avoid “any act that could contribute to further instability.”
 
U.S. President Joe Biden said he was “shocked and saddened” by the assassination.
 
“We condemn this heinous act,” Biden said in a statement. “I am sending my sincere wishes for First Lady Moise’s recovery.”
 This report includes information from the Associated Press and Reuters.
 
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Officials in Haiti say four people suspected in the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse were killed in a shootout with police.  Two others, described as “mercenaries,” were arrested during the shootout.The Wednesday assassination of Moïse during an attack on his private home in a Port-au-Prince suburb prompted interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph to take charge of the country and declare a state of siege. First lady Martine Moïse, who was also shot during the attack, is in stable but critical condition and has been transferred to a hospital in Miami for treatment, according to Haiti’s ambassador to the United States. U.S. President Joe Biden has condemned the assassination and expressed condolences in a statement issued by the White House. The U.N. Security Council will meet Thursday to discuss the events in Haiti. Haiti has been experiencing political instability and division, as well as a rise in gang violence.  
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World leaders are reacting to the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres “I condemn in the strongest terms the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of the Republic of Haiti. The perpetrators of this crime must be brought to justice. The U.N. will continue to stand with the Government and the people of Haiti.” U.S. President Joe Biden “We are shocked and saddened to hear of the horrific assassination of President Jovenel Moïse and the attack on First Lady Martine Moïse of Haiti. We condemn this heinous act — and stand ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti.” Pope Francis “On hearing the news of the heinous assassination of His Excellency Mr. Jovenel Moïse, President of Haiti, His Holiness Pope Francis offers his condolences to the Haitian people and to his wife, who was also seriously wounded, whose life he commends to God. Praying to the Father of Mercy for the repose of the soul of the deceased, the Holy Father expresses his sadness and condemns all forms of violence as a means of resolving crises and conflicts.” Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader “As president of the Dominican Republic I strongly condemn this reprehensible act against the democratic system, the stability, and the peace in our neighboring country, and I stand in solidarity with the Haitian people to whom I wish all the strength to face this difficult situation.” Chile President Sebastian Piñera “Our solidarity and condolences to his family and to all the Haitian people. We call for unity and peace in order to strengthen democracy and find a way out of the grave crisis that Haiti is going through.” Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness “We wish for the people of Haiti peace and stability at this time … My thoughts and prayers are with the Moïse family and the Government and people of Haiti.” Guatemala President Alejandro Giammattei “We condemn and reject the cowardly assassination of the president of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse. This terrible act goes against the democratic order, we send our most sincere condolences to his family, the government and the Haitian people.” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “Canada stands with the people of Haiti during these difficult and uncertain times. Our two countries are united by a strong friendship, built on enduring people-to-people ties. Canada has a deep and longstanding commitment to Haiti, and we are ready to offer any assistance it needs.” Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis “The government is deeply saddened by the assassination of the President of Haiti Jovenel Moïse and strongly condemns the actions of the perpetrators. We pray for the people of Haiti and offer our deepest condolences.” Panama President Nito Cortizo “Panamá regrets and strongly condemns the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. Our solidarity with his family and the Haitian people. Panamá calls for unity so that Haiti finds social peace and the reestablishment of its democratic institutions.” Nicolas de Riviere, French ambassador to the U.N. and rotating U.N. Security Council president “This is a critical moment. I think we all knew it was sensitive and difficult on the ground in Haiti, in view of the political situation and the security situation, this puts that in even graver danger than before, so I’m quite confident the council will in a very quick way meet to see how we can continue to support the people of Haiti. I think this is a dark hour for them, and we certainly want to be sure we can express our support for the people of Haiti.” Cuba President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez “We deeply regret the death of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. We strongly condemn the violent act that caused his death. We send our condolences to his relatives and the Haitian people. We call for peace.” Argentina President Alberto Fernández “We condemn and deeply lament the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, president of Haiti. We are with the Haitian people and call for unity to reestablish the rule of law and democracy in light of this vicious crime.” European Council President Charles Michel “We condemn the assassination of President Moïse. Our condolences to his family and to the people of Haiti. We continue to monitor the situation and call for calm and stability. Only an inclusive political dialogue can ensure the organization of free and transparent elections.” Costa Rica President Carlos Alvarado Quesada “I condemn the assassination of the president of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, and the attack on first lady Martine Moïse. No political situation justifies criminal acts of violence. Solidarity to their family and the Haitian people. May stability, institutions and dialogue prevail.” Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley “The assassination of President Moïse of Haiti is an atrocious act which Barbados vehemently condemns. Violence can never be a solution, and must be rejected in all circumstances. Barbados urges all to pause and work at all costs for peace.” Colombia President Iván Duque  “We reiterate our rejection the vile and cowardly assassination of the president of Haiti, Jovenel Moïse, a defender of democracy and friend of Colombia.” Belgium Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmès “The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in #Haiti Flag of Haiti takes place in a context of unacceptable violence. Justice must fulfill its duty. The priority is to restore security for all Haitians, to allow for a peaceful exit from the crisis and a stabilization of the country.” United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson “I am shocked and saddened at the death of President Moïse. Our condolences are with his family and the people of Haiti. This is an abhorrent act and I call for calm at this time.” 
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Haiti’s ambassador to the United States, Bocchit Edmond, says “professional killers” speaking Spanish shot and killed Haitian President Jovenal Moise on Wednesday morning. He appealed to the international community for help to find them and bring them to justice, as VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.
Producer: Kimberlyn Weeks
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The head of Haiti’s National Police Force said four people suspected of carrying out Wednesday’s assassination of President Jovenel Moise were killed in a shootout with police.Chief Léon Charles told reporters in Port-au-Prince that two other suspects, whom he described as “mercenaries,” were arrested during the shootout. Three police officers who were held hostage by the suspected assassins were freed. Charles did not provide any other information on the operation.A manhunt was launched shortly after Moise was gunned down during a predawn raid on his private residence in a wealthy suburb of Port-au-Prince. Bocchit Edmond, Haiti’s ambassador to the United States, told reporters in Washington that Haiti’s border with the Dominican Republic and its airports are closed.Asked by VOA whether officials knew the nationality of the gunmen, Edmond said he was unsure, but based on video footage obtained by the national police and deemed credible, the assassins posed as agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph declared a state of siege and said he was now in charge of the country.First lady Martine Moise, who was also shot during the attack, is in stable but critical condition, the ambassador said. She has been transferred to a hospital in Miami, Florida, for treatment. One of the president’s children who was home during the attack has been taken to a secure location.U.S. reactionU.S. President Joe Biden condemned the assassination and expressed condolences in a statement issued by the White House.“We condemn this heinous act, and I am sending my sincere wishes for First Lady Moïse’s recovery. The United States offers condolences to the people of Haiti, and we stand ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti.”Biden called the attack “worrisome.”“We need a lot more information,” he said in response to a reporter’s question before boarding Marine One en route to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday morning.World bodies reactIn Washington, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States held a virtual emergency meeting to discuss the Moise assassination Wednesday afternoon. Member states condemned the killing and expressed condolences and solidarity with the Haitian people.U.S. Ambassador Brad Freden said that he was shocked by the news and that the United States was concerned about Haiti’s security and political stability. He called on all political actors to set aside their differences and work for the common good of the Haitian people.In New York, the United Nations Security Council president, French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere, said the council was deeply shocked by the assassination.The council will meet privately Thursday morning to discuss developments.“This is a critical moment. I think we all knew it was sensitive and difficult on the ground in Haiti,” Ireland’s ambassador, Geraldine Byrne Nason, told reporters. She said the council would discuss how it could support the people of Haiti.“I think this is a dark hour for them, and we certainly want to be sure we can express our support for the people of Haiti,” she said.The United Nations has about 1,200 staff in Haiti as part of its political mission there.U.S. lawmakers reactOn Capitol Hill in Washington, the chairman of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, New York Democrat Gregory Meeks, extended condolences to the Moise family and the Haitian people. He also expressed his concerns about violence.“The spiral of violence and political assassinations are a threat to democracy in Haiti. My thoughts go out to the Haitian people as we all hope for a return to peace and stability,” Meeks said in a statement. “I will do everything I can to support a thorough investigation to ensure that those involved are held accountable.”The committee’s top Republican, Michael McCaul of Texas, also released a statement condemning the killing and calling for a probe.“I strongly condemn the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse and hope his wife who was injured in the attack recovers quickly. There must be a full investigation and appropriate accountability for his murder. My condolences to the Moïse family and people of Haiti.”Amnesty International is calling for an investigation into Moise’s assassination, calling it a “shocking indicator of the serious human rights and political crisis that Haiti has been facing for years.”“This is a wake-up call for the international community, and for the Haitian authorities who have overseen chronic impunity and ignored the calls of human rights defenders that has paved the way for such a serious crisis,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Amnesty’s regional director for the Americas.Recent uptick in violenceHaiti has been experiencing political instability and division, as well as a rise in gang violence.Last week in Port-au-Prince, gang leader Jimmy Cherisier, who is known by the nickname Barbecue, took to the streets to protest Moise’s government, calling on him to resign.“Jovenel (Moise) must go!” Cherisier told reporters during the protest. “A new group of people needs to lead this country, and we must sit together around a table, have a national dialogue so we can redefine this country.”Seeking to reassure the nation, Joseph has appealed for tranquility. “Stay calm. The nation is secure. Let’s look for harmony,” he said.Edmond reiterated that message during his briefing with reporters.“Violence is not the answer. There is no future in that,” he said. VOA’s Matiado Vilme in Port-au-Prince, United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer, Capitol Hill correspondent Katherine Gypson, and White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report, which includes some information from The Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.
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The streets of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, were mostly empty Wednesday following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise at his private residence in the early-morning hours. Businesses were closed, most people remained home and armored police vehicles were seen on the main roads. Armed guards stood watch in key locations of the capital.A state of siege was declared by interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph, who said he was in charge of the country.Haitian officials said heavily armed gunmen posing as U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officers who spoke Spanish and English shot and killed the president in a “highly coordinated” attack. His wife, Martine Moise, was gravely injured and remained in critical but stable condition at a Miami hospital.Haitian media reported the late president’s “alleged assassins” had been intercepted late Wednesday, although details about the arrest were scarce as the investigation continued amid a national border lockdown.Speaking to people on the street about the president’s killing, VOA Creole received a diverse range of responses.One resident of the president’s Pelerin neighborhood, a wealthy suburb of the capital, said she heard the gunfire but was confused about what was happening at the time. She told VOA Creole the gunfire lasted for about an hour.A forensic investigator carries a bagful of bullet casings collected at the residence of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise, where he was killed by gunmen in the early morning hours, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 7, 2021.”We are victims of our own insecurity,” the woman, who declined to give her name, said. “We hope this will not happen again, but, hopefully, the next president will do better so this type of event doesn’t repeat itself.”A man in his 20s who spoke to VOA Creole near the downtown area of the capital said he worried that the killing would damage Haiti’s image abroad.”I think this presents a problem for the country’s image,” he told VOA. “Jovenel should have been brought to justice to explain his actions. I blame him for the impunity that exists currently and for putting guns in the hands of young people. He likened himself [in a speech] to a fish bone stuck in the Haitian people’s throat. I would have liked to ask him to explain what he meant by that. The people need to unite now and take hold of our government and choose a leader who can represent us well, improve our image and allow us to move forward.”Another man in his 30s who spoke to VOA Creole near the national palace, and who also did not want to give his name, said, “It really hurts me to hear Jovenel Moise died this way. This is not what I wished for. I would have preferred he be imprisoned for all the bad things he did [while in power] and explain what happened with the PetroCaribe funds, the Bel Air massacre, the La Saline massacre. I did not wish for his death.”Security forces investigate the perimeters of the residence of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 7, 2021. Gunmen assassinated Moise and wounded his wife in their home early Wednesday.PetroCaribe is a corruption scandal linked to profits from oil sold to Haiti by Venezuela at a discount, which were supposed to be used for social, educational and infrastructure projects. Most of the money was allegedly misused, and efforts to bring those responsible to justice have so far failed.Moise was blamed by some Haitians — as well as U.S. officials such as U.S. Representative Maxine Waters  and Ambassador Michele Sison — for failing to bring to justice those responsible for the mass killings of residents in the capital’s Bel Air and La Saline slums. Gangs with ties to the president were blamed for the killings.Another man in his 20s who spoke to VOA Creole in a downtown neighborhood expressed sorrow over Moise’s death. “It pains me to hear President Jovenel Moise was assassinated. Today his death does not make us feel good at all,” he told VOA. “We would prefer to have a real government leading us. For now, all we can say is, ‘Rest in peace.’ “A man who described himself as a Moise supporter said he thought the killing was politically motivated.”I believed in Jovenel Moise. I believe he was assassinated today because of his political convictions,” the man, who did not give his name, said. “[Moise] is a Haitian citizen who was fighting against the oligarchs and greedy people. I blame those oligarchs for his murder. This was a heinous act.”Former government attorney Francisco Rene, who spoke to VOA at his office in Port-au-Prince, expressed concern about the gravity of the event.”This is serious. It impacts the future of our democracy, the future of the country,” he said. “It’s also serious with regards to the economic fallout. Many countries may decide to prevent their citizens from traveling to Haiti. This has diminished our standing in the world.”It was unclear how long the state of siege would be in effect. Haiti’s border with the Dominican Republic and its airports were closed until further notice.
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A manhunt is under way to find those responsible for assassinating Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moise, at his private residence in a wealthy suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, before dawn on Wednesday.”Those killers are on the loose,” Haitian Ambassador to the United States Bocchit Edmond said Wednesday during a briefing with reporters covering the State Department. “We are calling for an international manhunt.”Edmond said Haiti would request U.S. assistance and expertise. “A stable Haiti is in the interest of the United States,” he said.Haiti’s border with the Dominican Republic and its airports are closed, the ambassador said. Edmond said officials suspected the attackers were either still in Haiti or had escaped over the border. He ruled out the possibility of an escape via air, saying it would have been virtually impossible to evade the country’s air surveillance system.Members of the Haitian police and forensics look for evidence outside of the presidential residence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 7, 2021.Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph declared a state of siege and said he was now in charge of the country.Asked by VOA whether officials know the nationality of the gunmen, Edmond said he was unsure, but based on video footage obtained by the national police and deemed credible, the assassins, whom he described as “mercenaries,” posed as agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.”They are speaking Spanish and presented themselves as DEA agents. As we well know, this is not the way the DEA operates. I believe they are fake DEA agents. Experts who saw the video said those are professional killers,” Edmond told reporters.An emergency vehicle is parked at the entrance of Ryder Trauma Center where Haitian first lady Martine Moise was taken for treatment in Miami, July 7, 2021.First lady Martine Moise, who was shot during the attack, is in stable but critical condition, the ambassador said. She has been transferred to a hospital in Miami, Florida, for treatment. One of the president’s children who was at home during the attack has been taken to a secure location.White House reactionU.S. President Joe Biden condemned the assassination and expressed condolences in a statement issued by the White House.U.S. President Joe Biden speaks to reporters as he departs the White House in Washington, July 7, 2021.”We condemn this heinous act, and I am sending my sincere wishes for First Lady Moïse’s recovery. The United States offers condolences to the people of Haiti, and we stand ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti.” Biden called the attack “worrisome.” “We need a lot more information,” he said in response to a reporter’s question before boarding Marine One en route to Joint Base Andrews Wednesday morning.World bodies reactIn Washington, the permanent council of the Organization of American States held a virtual emergency meeting to discuss the Moise assassination Wednesday afternoon. Member states condemned the killing and expressed condolences and solidarity with the Haitian people.FILE – Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise speaks during an interview in his office in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Aug. 28, 2019.U.S. Ambassador Brad Freden said that he was shocked by the news and that the United States was concerned about Haiti’s security and political stability. He called on all political actors to set aside their differences and work for the common good of the Haitian people.In New York, the United Nations Security Council president, French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere, said the council was deeply shocked by the assassination.  The council will meet privately Thursday morning to discuss developments.”This is a critical moment. I think we all knew it was sensitive and difficult on the ground in Haiti,” Ireland’s ambassador, Geraldine Byrne Nason, told reporters. She said the council would discuss how it could support the people of Haiti.”I think this is a dark hour for them, and we certainly want to be sure we can express our support for the people of Haiti,” she said.The United Nations has about 1,200 staff in Haiti as part of its political mission there.US lawmakers reactOn Capitol Hill, the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, New York Democrat Gregory Meeks, extended condolences to the Moise family and the Haitian people. He also expressed his concerns about violence.”The spiral of violence and political assassinations are a threat to democracy in Haiti. My thoughts go out to the Haitian people as we all hope for a return to peace and stability,” Meeks said in a statement. “I will do everything I can to support a thorough investigation to ensure that those involved are held accountable.”Members of the Haitian police and forensics look for evidence outside of the presidential residence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 7, 2021.The committee’s top Republican, Michael McCaul of Texas, also released a statement condemning the killing and calling for a probe.  “I strongly condemn the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse and hope his wife who was injured in the attack recovers quickly. There must be a full investigation and appropriate accountability for his murder. My condolences to the Moïse family and people of Haiti.”Recent uptick in violence  Haiti has been experiencing political instability and division, as well as a rise in gang violence.  Last week in Port-au-Prince, gang leader Jimmy Cherisier, who is known by the nickname Barbecue, took to the streets to protest Moise’s government, calling on him to resign.”Jovenel (Moise) must go!” Cherisier told reporters during the protest. “A new group of people needs to lead this country, and we must sit together around a table, have a national dialogue so we can redefine this country.”Seeking to reassure the nation, the Prime Minister Joseph has appealed for tranquility.”Stay calm. The nation is secure. Let’s look for harmony,” he said.Ambassador Edmond reiterated that message during his briefing with reporters.”Violence is not the answer. There is no future in that,” he said. VOA’s Matiado Vilme in Port-au-Prince, United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer, Capitol Hill correspondent Katherine Gypson, and White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara contributed to this report.
 
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Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, a former banana producer and political neophyte who ruled Haiti for more than four years as the country grew increasingly unstable under his watch, was killed on Wednesday. He was 53. Moïse was assassinated at his private home during “a highly coordinated attack by a highly trained and heavily armed group,” interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said. His wife, Martine, was injured in the attack and remains hospitalized. “Haiti has lost a true statesman,” Joseph said. “We will ensure that those responsible for this heinous act are swiftly brought to justice.” An emergency vehicle is parked at the entrance of Ryder Trauma Center where Haitian first lady Martine Moise was taken for treatment in Miami, July 7, 2021.A businessman from northern Haiti, Moïse had no political experience before being hand-picked by former President Michel Martelly as the ruling Tet Kale party’s official candidate in 2015 elections. Campaigning under the nickname “Neg Bannan Nan” — “Banana Man” in Haitian Creole — he promoted achievements that included launching a banana-exporting joint venture with help from a $6 million loan approved by Martelly’s administration. As a businessman, he also distributed drinking water and established a renewable energy project in various towns. Moise won the 2015 presidential vote, but the results were thrown out following allegations of fraud, leading to a period of political limbo, including the appointment of an interim president. Moise later won November 2016 elections, although voter turnout was only 21%. A man looks at the bullet holes in a car outside of the presidential residence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 7, 2021.He took office in February 2017, pledging to strengthen institutions, fight corruption and bring more investments and jobs to the Western hemisphere’s poorest nation. “It’s really important to change the lifestyle of these people,” he said of impoverished people in Haiti’s rural areas. But his administration was soon plagued by massive protests, and critics accused him of growing increasingly authoritarian. Moïse had been ruling by decree for more than a year after Parliament was dissolved and lawmakers failed to organize legislative elections. He was widely criticized for approving decrees, including one that limited the powers of a court that audits government contracts and another that created an intelligence agency that answers only to the president. Members of the Haitian police and forensics look for evidence outside of the presidential residence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 7, 2021.Political and economic instability had deepened in recent months, with widespread protests paralyzing the country of more than 11 million people. In addition, gangs in the capital of Port-au-Prince have grown more powerful, with more than 14,700 people driven from their homes last month alone as gangs set fire to homes and ransacked them. In addition, 15 people were killed during a June 29 shooting rampage in the capital, including a journalist and well-known political activist. Officials blamed a group of rogue police officers but have not provided any evidence. Moïse is survived by his wife and three children. 
 
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Haiti is under a state of siege, interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph announced during a national address on state television Wednesday morning.  
 
The announcement came hours after President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by a group of unknown gunmen at his private residence in Pelerin, a wealthy suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince.Prime Minister Joseph said he is in charge of the country and has imposed martial law, as Haiti’s borders and its main airport closed.  President Joe Biden walks towards members of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, July 7, 2021, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md, and then on to Illinois.U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the attack and expressed condolences in a statement issued by the White House.  
 
“We condemn this heinous act, and I am sending my sincere wishes for First Lady Moïse’s recovery. The United States offers condolences to the people of Haiti, and we stand ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti,” the statement said.  
 
Biden called the attack “worrisome,” adding that “we need a lot more information” while responding to a reporter’s question before boarding Marine One enroute to Joint Base Andrews Wednesday morning.  Biden called assassination of the Haitian president “worrisome” & said he’ll deliver message to Putin on ransomware before departing WH to JBA for flight to Illinois.Asked if U.S. w/ take more action in response to cyber attacks, Biden just smiled. Per pooler Presidential guards patrol the entrance to the residence of late Haitian President Jovenel Moise in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 7, 2021.Assassination details 
 
The Haitian prime minister described the attack, which occurred about 1 a.m., as “highly coordinated” by a “highly trained and heavily armed group” whose members spoke in English and Spanish.  Moïse’s wife, Martine, was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment, Joseph said. One of the president’s children, who was at home during the attack has been taken to a secure location. Joseph said the national police force is in control of the situation now and has taken measures to ensure the continuity of government, as well as to secure the nation. Joseph urged the international community to investigate the murder. “We also call on the international community to launch an investigation into the assassination and for the United Nations to hold a Security Council meeting on Haiti as soon as possible,” he said in a statement emailed to VOA.  
 
Joseph vowed to bring those responsible to justice.  
 FILE – Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, speaks on the floor of the House of Representatives at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.US lawmaker reaction  
 
On Capitol Hill, House Foreign Affairs Committee lead, Texas Republican Michael McCaul, released a statement condemning the killing and calling for a probe. 
 
“I strongly condemn the assassination of Haitian president Jovenel Moïse and hope his wife who was injured in the attack recovers quickly. There must be a full investigation and appropriate accountability for his murder. My condolences to the Moïse family and people of Haiti.”   
 United Nations reaction 
 
United Nations Security Council president, French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere, said the council was deeply shocked by the assassination.The council will meet privately Thursday morning to discuss developments. 
“This is a critical moment. I think we all knew it was sensitive and difficult on the ground in Haiti,” Ireland’s ambassador Geraldine Byrne Nason told reporters. She said the council would discuss how it could support the people of Haiti.“I think this is a dark hour for them, and we certainly want to be sure we can express our support for the people of Haiti,” she said.The United Nations has about 1,200 staff in Haiti as part of its political mission there.  Recent uptick in violence  
 
Haiti has been experiencing political instability and division, as well as a rise in gang violence.   
 
Last week in Port-au-Prince, gang leader Jimmy Cherisier, who is known by the nickname Barbeque, took to the streets to protest Moise’s government, calling on him to resign.   
 
“Jovenel [Moise] must go!” Cherisier told reporters during the protest. “A new group of people needs to lead this country, and we must sit together around a table, have a national dialogue so we can redefine this country.” 
 
Seeking to reassure the nation, the prime minister had appealed for calm.  
 
“Stay calm, the nation is secure, let’s look for harmony,” he said. Matiado Vilme and Yves Manuel in Port-au-Prince, White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara, Capitol Hill correspondent Katherine Gypson, United Nations correspondent Margaret Besheer contributed to this report.
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The U.S. National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Elsa came ashore late Wednesday morning (local time) on Florida’s northwest coast, bringing a storm surge and heavy rain but sparing the region hurricane force winds.After briefly intensifying once again to hurricane strength late Tuesday, Elsa weakened overnight as it approached the western Florida coastline.  The hurricane center said the storm came ashore in Taylor County, about 83 kilometers southeast of Tallahassee. At last report, the storm had maximum sustained winds of about 100 km per hour and forecasters expect it to move to the north-northeast over the course of the next 24 hour.The track has it moving across the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States through Thursday, where tropical storm watches have been issued.The storm is expected to bring heavy rain, possible flooding and the chance of tornados and severe thunderstorms.In comments to the media, Florida Governor Ron Desantis said the area where the storm came on shore is lightly populated and no serious damage or injuries were reported. He said the state is fortunate because the situation is better than it looked three days ago and the impact is likely to be less severe than had been feared.The Associated Press reports about 26,000 people were without power in western and northwestern Florida.Elsa swept over Cuba’s southcentral coast Monday, bringing strong winds, heavy rains and storm surges.  Cuban officials said they had evacuated 180,000 people from homes in flood-prone areas.The Associated Press and Reuters News services contributed to this report.
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Haitian interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph has appealed for calm after President Jovenel Moïse was shot dead overnight in an attack at his private residence. In a statement Wednesday, Joseph said an unidentified group of people who attacked the president’s private residence, located in a suburb of the capital, Port-au-Prince, were responsible for the killing, which he called a “hateful, inhuman and barbaric act.”   Joseph described the attackers as “foreigners” during an interview with a Port-au-Prince radio station Wednesday morning and said some group members spoke in Spanish.  He also said Moïse’s wife, Martine, was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.  
 
“The president’s wife is alive and is being treated,” Joseph confirmed to local radio station Magik 9.  Joseph said the national police force is in control of the situation now and that measures have been taken to “protect the nation.” He vowed to ensure the continuity of government adding that “we are a democracy.” 
 
Joseph said he had met with officials of the National Police Force and that he plans to address the nation later today.  
 
The U.S. is “assessing” the attack and U.S. President Joe Biden will be briefed on the situation in Haiti, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told MSNBC.   
 
Haiti has been experiencing political instability and division as well as a rise in gang violence.  Last week in Port-au-Prince, gang leader Jimmy Cherisier, who is known by the nickname Barbeque, took to the streets to protest Moise’s government, calling on him to resign.  
 
“Jovenel (Moise) must go!” Cherisier told reporters during the protest. “A new group of people needs to lead this country and we must sit together around a table, have a national dialogue so we can redefine this country.” 
 Sandra Lemaire in Washington and Matiado Vilme in Port-au-Prince contributed to this report, which includes information from the Associated Press, AFP and Reuters
 
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Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was shot dead overnight in an attack at his private residence, interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said Wednesday.In a statement, Joseph said an unidentified group of people were responsible for the killing, which he called a “hateful, inhuman and barbaric act.”He also said Moïse’s wife, Martine, was injured and taken to a hospital for treatment.Haiti has been experiencing political instability and division as well as a rise in gang violence.  This report includes information from the Associated Press, AFP and Reuters
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The Canadian Indigenous group that announced  the discovery of an estimated 751 unmarked graves near a former residential school last month said on Tuesday it would take charge of its own child welfare services under an agreement with the federal government.The accord, unveiled at an event in the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan attended by Cowessess Chief Cadmus Delorme, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, marks the first time in 70 years the community will have control over child and family services among its members.It is the first such agreement under a 2019 law meant to give Indigenous groups more control over child welfare in their communities and reduce the overrepresentation of Indigenous children in foster care. Cowessess First Nation passed an act intended to do that in March 2020.”Our goal is one day there will be no children in care,” Delorme told the event, adding: “We have a lot of work to do.”Trudeau said his government is in talks with other First Nations on similar agreements. Government spokespeople did not confirm whether Ottawa would continue to fund the First Nation’s child and family services costs going forward.Canada has for decades disproportionately separated Indigenous children from their families to place them in foster care, sometimes because services they needed were underfunded on reserves.In Saskatchewan, 80% of children in foster care are Indigenous, according to a 2018 report.Canada is reeling from the discoveries of more than 1,000 unmarked graves at the sites of former residential schools, many of them believed to be children. They are a grim reminder of the abuses Indigenous communities have suffered for generations and their fight for justice.For 165 years and as recently as 1996, Canada’s residential school system separated children from their families and sent them to boarding schools where they were malnourished, beaten and sexually abused in what the country’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission called “cultural genocide” in 2015.The federal government was in court last month fighting a Human Rights Tribunal ruling that would have made Ottawa individually compensate children and families harmed by what the government admits is a discriminatory child and family services system. A federal court ruling is pending.Tuesday’s announcement may not improve things for Cowessess children if the circumstance of their families’ lives do not change as well, said Cindy Blackstock, a member of Gitxsan First Nation and executive director of the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, which is taking the government to court over the system.That would require better funding for services such as housing, she said.”We know from the research that the closer (to the First Nation) the control is for children’s services, the better the outcomes ultimately are for children. So that’s positive,” she said. 
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The first Indigenous Canadian to assume the post of governor general addressed the public in her first language, Inuktitut, on Tuesday, and promised to work toward healing the nation at what she described as an “especially reflective time.” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the appointment of Mary Simon, a former ambassador, journalist and Inuit community activist, to the largely ceremonial post that serves as the representative in Canada of its head of state, Queen Elizabeth. “We are honored to have Ms. Simon as Canada’s first Indigenous governor general,” Trudeau said. The queen’s Twitter account said she had approved the appointment on the prime minister’s recommendation. Canada has been grappling with the legacy of its treatment of Indigenous people, particularly in recent months. Since May, hundreds of unmarked graves of children have been discovered at former residential schools, run for Indigenous children forcibly separated from their families in what a Truth and Reconciliation Commission has called “cultural genocide.” Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a news conference with Mary Simon to announce her as the next Governor General of Canada in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, July 6, 2021.”My appointment comes at an especially reflective and dynamic time in our shared history,” Simon told reporters. “I will work every day towards promoting healing and wellness across Canadian society.” After being introduced, she addressed the public first in Inuktitut, the Inuit language she spoke growing up in northern Quebec, adding she was deeply committed to improving her French, one of Canada’s two official languages. She was appointed more than five months after her predecessor, Julie Payette, quit the role amid allegations of workplace harassment. The governor general performs functions such as swearing in governments and formally signing legislation but is also the commander in chief of the military and can summon or dissolve Parliament. Canadian Indigenous groups welcomed Simon’s appointment. The Native Women’s Association of Canada said it was “delighted” to see the first Inuit person become governor general “in a country that has been home to Indigenous people for tens of thousands of years.” Simon, who was born in 1947, will serve a five-year term. She worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp in the 1970s and served as Canada’s ambassador to Denmark from 1999 to 2001 and ambassador for circumpolar affairs from 1994 to 2003. She was also chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), a group representing Inuit from a number of countries, in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and president of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the country’s main Inuit advocacy group, from 2006 to 2012. With an Inuk mother and a non-Indigenous father who worked for Hudson’s Bay Co, she has spent her life as a “bridge between different lived realities that make up the tapestry of Canada,” while fighting for Indigenous and human rights, she said. “This is truly a historic day, especially given the heightened discussion around working towards meaningful reconciliation between colonial governments and first peoples,” said Jerry Daniels, grand chief of the Southern Chiefs’ Organization, which represents 34 First Nations groups in Manitoba. The prime minister is expected to ask the new governor general to dissolve Parliament ahead of a snap vote as early as August, but both Trudeau and Simon denied having discussed elections before her appointment. “We did not discuss elections at all,” Trudeau said. Opposition Conservative leader Erin O’Toole, Trudeau’s main political rival, wished Simon well, as did left-leaning New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh. “This is an important day for both our country as a whole and particularly Indigenous peoples,” O’Toole said on Twitter. 
 
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U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet welcomes efforts by Venezuela’s government to improve human rights standards in the country but says they do not go far enough. Bachelet gave her assessment in a report she submitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council.The government of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced several new initiatives, including reforms of the country’s police and justice system.That seemingly has resulted in a downward trend in alleged deaths during protests and security operations. However, Bachelet says every death is one too many. In line with the spirit of the announced reforms, she called on the authorities in Caracas to assure accountability for past and present killings of protesters.FILE – United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet looks on after delivering a speech on global human rights developments during a session of the Human Rights Council, in Geneva, June 21, 2021.Bachelet said social protests are continuing because of a lack of access to basic services and persistent socio-economic inequalities. That, she said, is compounded by the impact of unilateral sectoral sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic.“Conditions of detention continue to give rise to concern. All the more so in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to adequate food, water, sanitation and health care must be guaranteed to all.… I welcome the imminent closure of all detention facilities run by the intelligence services as announced by the president,” she said, speaking through an interpreter.Regarding judicial reform, Bachelet called on the government to ensure people charged with a crime have the right to a fair trial, including unrestricted access to a lawyer of their choosing and guarantees of an independent, impartial proceedings.She said restrictions on civic space also are an issue of great concern.  “I highlight in particular the stigmatization, criminalization and threats against dissenting voices, particularly towards civil society, media and members of the opposition. From June 2020 to May of this year, my office documented 97 such incidents related to human rights defenders,” she said.Bachelet noted most were charged with criminal offenses for taking part in legitimate forms of civic engagement.Venezuela’s ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Hector Constant Rosales, condemned the report, saying it is based on double standards. He said his country complies with international legal standards of human rights. That, he said, despite being under enormous pressure due to the financial sanctions imposed by the United States.
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Tropical Storm Elsa made landfall in Cuba on Monday, charting a course toward Florida after causing at least three deaths elsewhere in the Caribbean. Elsa swept over Cuba’s south-central coast on Monday with sustained winds near 95 kph, according to Cuba’s Meteorology Institute. It brought a storm surge to the southern coast, along with heavy rains.  Cuban officials said they had evacuated 180,000 people from homes in flood-prone areas. Most of the evacuated went to relatives’ homes, while others took refuge in government shelters. Antony Exilien secures the roof of his house in response to Tropical Storm Elsa, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, July 3, 2021.The Associated Press, citing the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, reported that the storm had killed one person on St. Lucia and that two people were killed in separate building collapses in the Dominican Republic. The storm also hit Barbados, where more than 1,100 people reported damaged houses, as well as Haiti and Jamaica. Cuba’s Meteorology Institute predicted that the storm would weaken while passing over central Cuba but could strengthen again slightly when it emerges over the Florida Straits and the southeastern Gulf of Mexico.  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 15 counties. Elsa is expected to pass near the Florida Keys early Tuesday and move over parts of Florida’s west coast Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center. FILE – Hurricane Elsa approaches Argyle, St. Vincent, July 2, 2021.”All Floridians should prepare for the possibility of heavy rain, flooding and potential power outages,” DeSantis wrote on Twitter. Elsa was a Category 1 hurricane until Saturday, when it was downgraded to a tropical storm. It is the fifth named storm of the season and also the earliest one on record. Anticipation of the storm prompted Florida officials to demolish the remaining portion of a residential building in a Miami suburb that partially collapsed nearly two weeks ago. Twenty-seven people were killed in the collapse, and 118 are still missing. This report includes information from the Associated Press and Reuters news agency.
 
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Venezuelan security forces carried out fewer extra-judicial killings in the 12 months through April, a U.N. report said Monday, but it accuses them of a continued pattern of torture or cruel treatment of individuals as well as enforced disappearances and incommunicado detentions. The report from U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights calls on the government of President Nicolas Maduro to cease the use of excessive force during demonstrations, dismantle pro-government armed civilian groups and ensure effective and independent investigations of all killings by security forces. “Accountability remains key to preventing and remedying human rights violations and strengthening the rule of law,” said the report, which covers June 1, 2020, through April 30. “The protection and expansion of civic space is vital to strengthening democracy, fostering inclusive dialogue and addressing the root causes of current challenges.” FILE – Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro speaks virtually during the 75th annual U.N. General Assembly, from Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Venezuela, Sept. 23, 2020.Maduro’s government issued a statement rejecting what it called the “fallacious content” in the report. It accused the U.N. agency of basing the report “on a handful of alleged allegations of human rights violations” with the intent of destabilizing Venezuela. “This report is the result of a Resolution promoted by a tiny group of governments with serious internal situations of human rights violations, which conspired to satisfy the policy of ‘regime change’ promoted by the United States of America against Venezuela,” the Foreign Ministry statement said. The U.N. agency documented 17 killings allegedly linked to security forces — 16 during security operations in places with high rates of violence and crime and one during a protest. The report did not provide numbers for extra-judicial killings in previous years. In the majority of the cases, the report said, the killers broke into the homes of the victims, most of whom were young men or boys from impoverished communities. Witnesses described being threatened with death, beaten and dragged by their hair by officers. The report said officers allegedly manipulated evidence and removed bodies from the victims’ homes. “The events continue to have severe effects in communities, as they instilled fear in the population, generated mistrust in law enforcement, further marginalized poor communities and caused displacement,” the report said. It also documents nine cases of individuals whose whereabouts were unknown to family and lawyers during their detentions. The agency also says it received reports of people being beaten, electrocuted, sexually violated and threatened with rape by officers.  The agency said it is not aware of actions taken by the National Commission Against Torture, an arm of the Ombudsman’s Office, which is headed by officials close to the government. Critics say the Ombudsman’s Office systemically looks the other way when complaints of human rights violations are reported.  The report acknowledges a police reform ordered by Maduro in April and the implementation of training for security forces on human rights and use of force. The reform, which Maduro said he wanted implemented within six months, creates an opportunity to strengthen oversight and vetting of security forces, the U.N. agency said. Proposed reforms in Venezuela do not always materialize, however.  The report accuses Maduro’s government of continuing to restrict freedom of expression, including by impeding the work of civil organizations and the media through regulatory and administrative actions, including criminal prosecution. The agency tallied almost 100 incidents in connection with human rights activists, journalists, union leaders and others, including two killings and six other violent acts.  On Friday, the director of the Venezuelan nonprofit human rights group FundaRedes, Javier Tarazona, was arrested after reporting to authorities that he was been harassed by national intelligence officials. Two other activists with the group were also detained.  The U.N. report noted that sanctions add to the problems in Venezuela, which is mired in a deep political, social and economic crisis attributed to plummeting oil prices and to two decades of mismanagement by socialist governments. It has been in recession for years. Millions live in poverty amid high food prices, low wages and hyperinflation. Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. government imposed crippling sanctions, seeking to isolate Maduro. Those restrictions have made it difficult for Venezuela to develop, sell or transport its oil — the backbone of its economy. The European Union has also imposed sanctions. 
 
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