Whats happening in Haiti?
In the days since president Jovenel Moses assassination last week, Haitis situation has become increasingly uncertain. Questions remain over the tragic incident, as a power struggle plays itself out in the Caribbean island nation of 11 million. Haiti, the worlds first independent Black republic, already faced acute problems before Moses murder: political protests, gang violence, crushing poverty, rising COVID-19 cases and no vaccine doses. Heres your guide to whats happening in Haiti. Haitis acting prime minister, Claude Joseph, said the presidents private residence in the upmarket Petionville neighbourhood of the capital was stormed on 7 July by a highly trained and heavily armed group. A judicial magistrate in Petionville, Carl Henry Destin, said Moses body had 12 bullet wounds. Moises wife was also shot and evacuated to Miami for medical treatment. She subsequently tweeted a recording in which she accused shadowy enemies of organising the assassination to prevent democratic change. The Haitian authorities claim Mose was murdered by foreign mercenaries as part of a conspiracy involving Christian Emmanuel Sanon, a 63-year-old doctor, living in Florida. Haitis police chief Lon Charles announced the arrest of Sanon on Monday, claiming he had flown into Haiti on a private plane in early June with political objectives. Charles accused Sanon of hiring a team to execute the president through a Venezuelan security firm based in the United States. Longtime Haiti-watchers, however, have raised doubts about the official narrative, with the Miami Herald noting many unanswered questions. These include, How Sanon, who once filed for bankruptcy, could be behind a costly conspiracy. Some of the people arrested said that they were paid $3,000 a month and had been living in Haiti since January.  Whoever paid for the operation, it remains a mystery how the attackers could have entered the well-guarded home of Haitis head of state, shot him dead and left.