THE ASSASSINATION

Jovenel Moïse, 53, was killed at around 1 a.m. Wednesday at his private home. First Lady Martine Moïse was also shot and wounded and is currently hospitalized.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said the assassins as highly-trained gunmen some of whom were speaking Spanish or English. The Haiti Ambassador to the U.S. Bocchit Edmond described them as "well trained professional commandos” and “foreign mercenaries.”

Earlier this year Moïse told the U.N. Security Council that powerful oligarchs had tried to overthrow him seven times and he said that 20 people had been arrested in an assassination plot. A Haitian court later rejected Moise's claim and released the accused, who included a judge and a police inspector general.

CURRENT SITUATION

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph has declared a "state of siege" in the country which allows for more executive powers.

Joseph said that he is now in charge of Haiti and that the police and army would ensure public order. The country's international airport is now closed and neighboring Dominican Republic has closed its border with Haiti.

A day before his assassination, Moïse had named neurosurgeon Ariel Henry to replace Joseph as the country's new prime minister, however he had not yet been confirmed.

Joseph was named interim prime minister after the resignation of Former Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe in April following a spate of killings and kidnappings.

MOISE PRESIDENCY

Moise, a former entrepreneur, began his presidency 2017.

Following disputes over legislative elections and his dissolving of Haiti's Parliament in January 2020, Moïse continued to serve as president by decree.

He faced growing mistrust by critics who said his term was to have ended in February 2021.

Moise had claimed his term would end on February 2022.

In the last four years, Moise had seven prime ministers.

BACKGROUND

Haiti became the first independent state in Latin America and the Caribbean in 1801 following a slave revolt and the abolition of slavery.

The U.S. invaded and occupied Haiti from 1915 to 1934.

Francois "Papa Doc" Duvalier took power of Haiti in 1957 and the country was under authoritarian rule until his death in 1971. Following his death, his son Jean-Claud or "Baby Doc" ruled until 1986.

Haiti has been beset with political instability since the end of the dictatorship of Francois and Jean-Claude Duvalier.

In 1990, former parish priest Jean-Bertrand Aristide won the country's first free election, but was ousted in a coup in 1991.

U.S. troops entered Haiti in 1994 to remove the military regime and return Aristide to power. In 1999 Aristide was elected president again, though with disputed results, but he was forced to flee the country in 2004 due to political unrest.

Pierre Espérance, executive director of the Haitian National Human Rights Defense Network, said armed gangs control about 60% of the country’s territory.

Thousands of children and women are caught in the crossfire, said Bruno Maes, Haiti’s representative for the U.N.’s children agency.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Haiti was to hold presidential and legislative elections and a constitutional referendum in September after elections were delayed twice due to the coronavirus pandemic. Critics said the referendum could allow the president to have more powers.

Ariel Henry, who Moise had selected as prime minister but had not yet been confirmed was tasked to prepare for the September elections. It's unclear if the elections will still take place.

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