THE President of Haiti was assassinated after a group of gunmen reportedly stormed his home posing as DEA agents.
Residents of President Jovenel Moïse’s Port-au-Prince neighbourhood reported hearing high-powered rounds being fired last night as well as seeing men dressed in black running through the streets.
The gunmen claimed to be agents with the US Drug Enforcement Administration, the Miami Herald reports.
In one video a man with an American accent is heard shouting in English through a megaphone, “DEA operation. Everybody stand down. DEA operation. Everybody back up, stand down.”
But sources told the paper that the group, one of whom spoke with an American accent, were not with the agency.
One high-ranking Haitian government official told the Miami Herald “these were mercenaries”.
The Prime Minister of Haiti confirmed the attack and said that a group stormed the private residence of President Jovenel Moïse and shot him dead.
It has been reported that the president was killed at his home in the capital of Port-au-Prince at 1am.
The first lady, Martine Moïse, was hospitalised after she was reportedly injured in the attack.
Prime Minister Claude Joseph’s statement said: “A group of individuals who have not been identified, some of whom were speaking Spanish, attacked the private residence of the President of the Republic and fatally injured the Head of State.”
The president was 53 years old.
Mr Joseph condemned what he called a hateful, inhumane and barbaric act, adding that Haiti’s National Police had the situation under control.
Videos captured by people living in the same neighbourhood as the President suggested that the group claimed to be DEA agents.
In February, opposition politicians nominated their own president in an effort to drive out Moise whose five-year term had expired.
Joseph Mécène Jean-Louis, 72, a judge, said that he accepted the nomination.
Moïse insisted his term in office ended in February 2022 – a claim accepted by the United States.
On February 7, the day his presidential term was supposed to end, Mr Moïse claimed that a coup had been foiled to overthrow his government and kill him.
A total of 23 people were arrested including a senior police officer.
“I thank my head of security at the palace,” he said at the time.
“The goal of these people was to make an attempt on my life. That plan was aborted.”
During his time in office, Mr Moïse was accused of corruption and was faced with waves of anti-government protests.
Demonstrations took place and there were clashes with police but residents of the capital, largely stayed at home.
In June, gangs raided multiple police stations in Port-au-Prince as violence between armed groups flared which forced thousands to flee.
Attackers raided six police stations and killed three officers burning their bodies in one attack, local media reported.
Haiti is the poorest country in Latin American with 60 per cent of the population living below the poverty line.
