What to know about Haiti, where President Jovenel Moïse was just assassinated

Here’s what to know about Jovenel Moïse, his time as president, and what his assassination could mean for Haiti.

What do we know about the slaying of the president?

A group of assault-weapon welding gunmen entered Moïse’s private home in the hills of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s interim prime minister Claude Joseph said in a Wednesday statement. The president’s wife Martine Moïse has been hospitalized after being wounded in the attack. Some of the assailants spoke Spanish, Joseph said, raising speculation about whether foreign mercenaries were involved. Haiti is mostly French and Creole speaking.

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Joseph called the attack “odious, inhuman and barbaric,” and insisted that “democracy and the republic will win.” He said National Police and Armed Forces of Haiti were in control of the nation’s security.

Moïse took office in 2017 after a challenging 14 month election process, marred by violence and allegations of fraud. A first time candidate, Moïse was known on the campaign trail as “Banana Man” his past work as a successful banana exporter and entrepreneur. He was born in Trou-du-Nord to a merchant and a seamstress. He graduated with a political science degree from the Université Quisqueya, married his classmate Martine Moïse, and left the capital to work on developing rural areas. He ran for president as the candidate for the center-right Haitian Tet Kale Party.

How has the world reacted?

President Biden is being briefed on the assassination, the White House said on Wednesday.

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In an appearance on CNN, White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the slaying a “tragic tragedy” and a “horrific crime.” She said that the United States stands by Haiti to provide any assistance needed, and that the U.S. Embassy and state department will be in close touch.

The United States is Haiti’s top foreign donor, and the opposition in Haiti have accused the United States of leniency toward Moïse as he has sought to remain in power, amid dispute over the end of his term.

The Dominican Republic closed border crossings with its neighboring Haiti on Wednesday morning. Colombian President Iván Duque called on the Organization of American States for an “urgent mission” to protect democratic order.

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Other leaders expressed their condolences, including U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who called the killing an “abhorrent act,” and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez who called for unity of the political forces to “find a way out” of the serious crisis.

What’s behind Haiti’s political chaos?

Haiti has a long and painful history of foreign interventions and dictatorial rule.

The country’s latest flare up revolves around a dispute over Moïse’s presidency. He was elected to a five-year presidential term in 2016, but due to contentions over election results did not assume the role until a year later. Moïse insisted that entitled him to another year in power — a claim Haiti’s opposition rejected. In February, when Moïse’s opponents say his term ended, they declared Supreme Court Judge Joseph Mécène Jean-Louis as interim president. Moïse called it a coup attempt, and 23 opponents were arrested.

In the backdrop, communities have been terrorized by a surge in kidnappings, rapes and killings as rival gangs battle each other and the police for control of Haiti’s streets. The armed gangs effectively in control of parts of the island have hazy allegiances, but human rights activists have accused Moïse’s government of having ties to some of them.

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So far this year, at least 278 Haitians have died from gang-related violence. Thousands more have fled the capital, with some traveling by boat or plane to avoid unsafe roads.

“The unprecedented level of violence and subsequent displacements is creating a host of secondary issues, such as the disruption of community-level social functioning, family separation, increased financial burdens on host families, forced school closures, loss of livelihoods and a general fear among the affected populations,” the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report last month.

What could happen next?

There are still many unknowns about what Wednesday’s attack will mean for Haiti.

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One pressing question is who will lead the country: Joseph was supposed to step down on Monday from his position as interim prime minister, with Ariel Henry, a neurosurgeon, to be appointed as the new prime minister.

Amid the political crises, Haiti has also struggled to roll out its coronavirus vaccination program. So far, it is one of only a handful of countries part of the World Health Organization-backed Covax vaccine sharing initiative to have yet to administer any vaccines.

Moïse’s assassination also raised fears that street and gang violence could escalate with impunity.

“The president was assassinated in his own house!” Pierre Espérance, director of Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network, told The Washington Post. “Do you see our situation? It is terrible! We are not safe.”