Hunt For Shooters Of President Jovenel Moise, Haiti Declares National Siege

President Haiti Jovenel Moise. (Wikimedia Commons/Office of U.S. Ambassador to U.N)

JAKARTA - Haiti's interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph declared a state of siege across the country, Wednesday, July 7, hours after President Jovenel Moise was shot dead in his home.

"In accordance with article 149 of the Constitution, I have just chaired the extraordinary council of ministers and we have decided to declare a state of siege across the country," Joseph said in a speech broadcast on social media, citing Euronews.

"They shot and killed the president and injured his wife," he continued, ensuring that their deaths would not go unpunished.

Meanwhile, Martine Moise, wife of the late President Moise, is in a stable but critical condition and is likely to be sent to Miami, United States for further medical treatment.

"President Moise's wife, First Lady Martine Moise, has been hospitalized. Democracy and the Republic must win. The dark forces will lose," he stressed.

Earlier on Wednesday, Joseph called the attack an act of hatred, inhumane, and barbaric. At the same time, he made sure the Haitian National Police and other authorities had the situation under control in the Caribbean nation.

Separately, Haiti's Ambassador to the United States (US) Bocchit Edmond said the attack was likely carried out by "command trained professionals" and "foreign mercenaries" posing as US agents.

He said the gunmen were not currently in Haiti and had probably fled over the land border into the Dominican Republic or by sea.

The late President of Haiti, Jovenel Moise, was promoted to office in 2017. In recent months, opposition leaders have demanded that he step down, arguing that his legal term ends in February 2021.

President Moise has ruled by decree for more than a year, after the country failed to hold legislative elections and wanted to push for controversial constitutional reforms.

To note, President Moise was killed the day after he nominated Ariel Henry, a neurosurgeon, as the country's new prime minister. Meanwhile, Haiti is scheduled to hold general elections later this year.