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Leader of the People’s National Congress, Mr. David Granger said he has learnt with alarm the sad news of the assassination of the President of Haiti H.E Jovenel Moïse.
Mr. Granger condemns the hateful murder of the President of a Caribbean state.
“The assassination of President Moïse and the attack on his family are abhorrent and abominable,” the former Guyanese leader said.
He has also called on Haiti’s Prime Minister to preserve peace, maintain public order and bring the culprits responsible for this crime to justice.
Mr. Granger extended his wishes for a speedy recovery to the first lady of Haiti, H.E Martine Moïse, who was seriously injured during the attack. “The Leader and the People’s National Congress send their deepest condolences to the Moïse family and the people of Government of the Republic of Haiti,” Mr Granger’s statement ended.
A group of unidentified individuals attacked the private resident of Moise overnight and shot him dead, Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said in a statement early on Wednesday.
He said the police and army had the security situation under control but gunshots could be heard throughout the capital after the attack, which occurred amid a rising wave of politically linked violence in the impoverished Caribbean nation.
With Haiti politically divided, and facing a growing humanitarian crisis and shortages of food, there are fears of widespread disorder.
“The President was injured and succumbed to those injuries,” Joseph said in an interview with Radio Caraibes.
Port-au-Prince had been suffering an increase in violence as gangs battle one another and police for control of the streets.
The bloodshed is driven by worsening poverty and political instability. Moise faced fierce protests after taking office as president in 2017, with the opposition accusing him this year of seeking to install a dictatorship by overstaying his mandate and becoming more authoritarian – charges he denied.
“All measures are being taken to guarantee the continuity of the state and to protect the nation,” Joseph said.
Moise had ruled by decree for more than a year after the country failed to hold legislative elections and wanted to push through a controversial constitutional reform.
The U.S. Embassy said in a statement it would be closed on Wednesday due to the “ongoing security situation”.