Assassination of Jovenel Moïse facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Assassination of Jovenel Moïse
Jovenel Moïse in 2019
Location	Pèlerin 5, Pétion-Ville, Haiti
Coordinates	18°29′55″N 72°17′51″W / 18.49861°N 72.29750°W / 18.49861; -72.29750
Date	7 July 2021 1:00 a.m. (EDT (UTC−04:00))
Target	Jovenel Moïse
Attack type	Assassination
Deaths	Jovenel Moïse
Non-fatal injuries	Martine Moïse
Assailants	Unknown
Motive	Under investigation
Arrests	6

Jovenel Moïse, who was the president of Haiti, was killed on 7 July 2021. This happened at 1 a.m. EDT at his home in Port-au-Prince. A group of 28 foreign fighters, mostly from Colombia, are thought to be responsible.

The First Lady, Martine Moïse, was also shot. She was flown to the United States for urgent medical care. Later that day, Haitian security forces killed three suspected attackers. They also arrested 20 more people.

A search began for other gunmen and the people who planned the attack. US authorities have since arrested six suspects. They believe these people helped plan the assassination.

On June 2, 2023, Rodolphe Jaar was sentenced to life in prison. He was one of the main suspects in the assassination. A federal court in Florida gave him this sentence.

Background

How Jovenel Moïse Became President

Jovenel Moïse was chosen to be the next president after Michel Martelly. President Martelly could not run for election again. This was because of Haiti's laws.

In the 2015 election, Moïse got 33% of the votes. This was more than anyone else. But it was not enough to win without a second round. The results were questioned by other candidates. This led to protests.

The second round of voting was delayed many times. This caused more protests. Eventually, the 2015 election results were cancelled. An interim president, Jocelerme Privert, was appointed. This happened before new elections in November 2016.

In the 2016 elections, Moïse won with 56% of the votes. This meant he did not need a second round. He officially became president on February 7, 2017.

Political Challenges During His Time in Office

During Moïse's time as president, Haiti faced many political problems. There were often protests against the government. Some of these protests turned violent.

There was a big disagreement about how long Moïse should be president. This caused a constitutional crisis. Presidents in Haiti serve for five years. Moïse believed he should stay in office until February 2022. This was five years after he took office.

However, others argued his term ended in February 2021. They said this was five years after the winner of the 2015 election would have started. Many people protested and asked Moïse to resign. Some even suggested a new interim president.

The United States government and the Organization of American States (OAS) supported Moïse. They wanted him to stay until 2022. Planned elections and a vote on a new constitution were delayed. This meant Moïse ruled by special orders.

Before he died, Moïse was working to fight corruption. He was trying to expose powerful individuals. These people were controlling parts of the country's economy.

Aftermath

The White House said the American government would send help to Haiti. Officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security would assist with the case. Colombia also sent its intelligence leaders to help Haiti. They worked with Interpol.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph asked the United Nations for help. On July 7, he requested peacekeeping troops for Haiti. This was to help stabilize the country. Haiti also asked the United States for troops.

A US official said there were no plans to send American troops. But the request was still being reviewed. President of the United States Joe Biden later confirmed no troops would be sent.

On July 17, Martine Moïse returned to Haiti. She had been released from the hospital.

President Moïse's funeral was held on July 23. It took place at his family home near Cap-Haïtien. The atmosphere was tense. Some mourners shouted at Haitian officials. Police used tear gas and fired shots. Foreign diplomats left the funeral early. Protesters had also tried to block people from attending the day before.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry later made July 7 a national holiday in Haiti. This was to mark the first anniversary of the assassination.

Who Would Lead Haiti Next?

Haiti's laws say that the Council of Ministers should lead the country. This happens until a new president is elected. The National Assembly is also supposed to elect a temporary president. But the delay in elections made the Assembly unable to act.

Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph spoke out against the attack. He declared a two-week nationwide state of siege. This is a special rule for emergencies.

Before he died, Moïse had chosen Ariel Henry to be the new prime minister. Henry was meant to replace Joseph. But Henry did not start his role before the assassination. After Moïse's death, Henry said he was the rightful prime minister.

The United States supported Joseph at first. Henry said this was a mistake. But he also said he wanted to avoid a conflict. He did not want to make the country's situation worse.

Joseph announced that elections would still happen in September. He promised to talk with opposition leaders. This was to calm the country and hold fair elections. Joseph said he was in charge until a new president was elected.

The United Nations' special envoy for Haiti, Helen La Lime, agreed. She confirmed that Claude Joseph would lead Haiti. This would be until the election later that year. She asked everyone to work together.

On July 9, some members of Haiti's Senate chose Joseph Lambert as interim president. They also picked Ariel Henry to be prime minister. Several political parties signed an agreement supporting Lambert. However, Claude Joseph rejected this decision. He said he did not want a power struggle. He believed the new president should be chosen in elections.

A group of important diplomats called the "Core Group" got involved. This group includes ambassadors from Brazil, the European Union, France, Germany, Spain, and the United States. It also has representatives from the Organization of American States and the United Nations. They asked for a government that everyone could agree on. They encouraged Ariel Henry to form a government. This was the task the late President had given him. They also asked people in politics, business, and society to help restore safety.

Joseph later told The Washington Post that he would give up his power. He would hand over leadership to Henry. This happened after they met privately. Henry was officially sworn in on July 20, 2021.

International reactions

Many countries and groups spoke out against the attack. These included Argentina, The Bahamas, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, India, Mexico, Taiwan, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Pope Francis also condemned the attack. The Organization of American States and the United Nations Security Council also made statements.

Suriname declared three days of mourning. Flags were flown at half-mast from July 8 to 10. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) also ordered flags to be at half-mast. This was for three days and on the day of the funeral.

On July 15, President of the United States Joe Biden announced something important. The United States government would send the United States Marine Corps. Their job was to protect the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. The Department of State also appointed Daniel Lewis Foote. He became a special envoy to Haiti. His job was to help stabilize Haiti. He also worked to support fair elections.

See also

In Spanish: Asesinato de Jovenel Moïse para niños