Here’s what to know about Moïse, his time as president and what his assassination could mean for Haiti.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do we know about the slaying of the president?
A group of assault-weapon-wielding gunmen entered Moïse’s private home in the hills of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s interim prime minister Claude Joseph said in a statement Wednesday. 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.
Joseph called the attack “odious, inhuman and barbaric,” and insisted “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” for 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 said in a statement Wednesday that he was “shocked and saddened to hear of the horrific assassination.”
“We condemn this heinous act,” the statement said, adding that the United States stands “ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti.”
Biden later told journalists that “we need a lot more information” about the incident.
In an appearance on CNN, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that the United States stands by Haiti to provide any assistance needed, and that the U.S. Embassy and State Department would be in close touch with counterparts.
The United States is Haiti’s top foreign donor, and the opposition in Haiti has 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 neighboring Haiti on Wednesday morning. Colombian President Iván Duque called on the Organization of American States for an “urgent mission” to protect democratic order.
What’s behind Haiti’s political chaos?
Haiti, the Western hemisphere’s poorest country, has a painful history of foreign interventions, economic exploitation and dictatorial rule.
Instability and violence have long dominated the country’s political landscape. The nation underwent some two centuries of Spanish colonial rule and more than a century of French rule, enduring brutal origins as a salve colony, before Haitians threw off their oppressors in an uprising that led to the country’s founding.
In the 20th century and in recent decades, the country saw many rough periods, with high presidential turnaround, coups, strongmen and U.S. interventions — including years of de facto U.S. rule, after the United States invaded in 1915, in large part to protect its economic interests.
In 2010, a catastrophic earthquake devastated the country.
Haiti’s latest instability revolves around a dispute over Moïse’s presidency. He was elected to a five-year 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.
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 role have political assassinations played in Haiti’s history?
The assassination of a Haitian president in July 1915 prompted U.S. President Woodrow Wilson to send thousands of Marines into Haiti to maintain order — though the United States didn’t leave until 1934.
In 1957, dictator Francois “Papa Doc” Duvalier took over, declaring himself president for life and overseeing widespread human rights abuses and repression. After Duvalier’s 1971 death, his son, then-19-year-old Jean-Claude Duvalier took the reins until a popular revolt forced him into French exile. The next few years saw interspersed coups and army rule, until Haiti’s first free election in 1990.
In March 2017, attackers fired at a motorcade transporting former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide from a Port-au-Prince courthouse.
What could happen next?
There are still many unknowns about what Wednesday’s attack will mean for Haiti.
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 vaccine doses.
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.”
This report has been updated.
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