Jovenel Moïse Assassination Memorial: A Sad Anniversary
July 7, 2021 marks the third anniversary of the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, a tragic event that deeply affected Haiti. At a memorial ceremony, Prime Minister Garry Conille and nine members of the transitional council gathered to pay tribute to the memory of the late president.
Jovenel Moïse was brutally shot and killed by 12 bullets when a group of gunmen invaded his residence in Port-au-Prince. The attack claimed the life of the president and seriously injured his wife, Martine Moïse. Since then, several people have been arrested, including 11 men currently in U.S. custody.
U.S. prosecutors have revealed a plot to eliminate President Moïse and profit from contracts with his successor’s administration. Among those arrested are 18 former Colombian soldiers detained in Haiti. The President of the Transitional Council, Edgard Leblanc Fils, stressed the need to continue investigations in order to apprehend all those responsible for this heinous crime.
Since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse, Haiti has been rocked by a resurgence of gang violence, forcing then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry to request the deployment of an armed force. In response to this crisis, a first foreign police unit, supported by the UN, arrived in Haiti at the end of June, two years after the country urgently requested assistance to stem the rise of gangs.
Armed gangs have now taken control of 80% of the capital, displacing thousands of people, including 300,000 children, according to UNICEF. This alarming situation has highlighted the country’s growing vulnerability and the need for an effective response to restore security and stability to Haiti.
On this sad anniversary, as the Haitian nation mourns the loss of its president, it is essential that justice be served and that those responsible for this heinous act be brought to justice. The Haitian people deserve to live in a peaceful and prosperous country, free from the constant threat of gang violence and political instability. Let us hope that concrete steps will be taken to ensure a brighter future for Haiti and its battered people.