Unrest drives Haitians from jobs

Protests turn bloody ahead of funeral for assassinated president

QUARTIER-MORIN, Haiti — Hundreds of workers fled businesses in northern Haiti on Wednesday after demonstrations near the hometown of assassinated President Jovenel Moise grew violent ahead of his funeral.

Associated Press journalists observed the body of one man who witnesses said was shot in the community of Quartier-Morin, which is near Trou-du-Nord, where Moise was born. Roadblocks were set up between the two communities, temporarily barring cars from entering or leaving as two plumes of thick, black smoke rose nearby.

Many workers walked hurriedly in a single file along the main road that connects Quartier-Morin with Cap-Haitien, the city where events to honor Moise started Thursday ahead of today’s funeral. Fleeing people said they saw burning tires and men with weapons demanding justice for Moise.

One woman who was out of breath said the armed men told her, “Go! Go! Go!” as employees clad in uniforms of all colors obeyed and left the area. She declined to give her name, saying she feared for her life.

Abnel Pierre, who works at the Caracol Industrial Park, said he was forced to walk 45 minutes home because the bus that transports employees was stuck behind blockades.

These were the first violent demonstrations since Moise was shot to death in his home. They came a day after Ariel Henry was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister, pledging to form a provisional consensus government and to restore order and security.

In the capital of Port-au-Prince, Martine Moise, widow of the slain president, made her first public appearance since her surprise return to Haiti on Saturday, although she did not speak. She had been recuperating at a hospital in Miami after she was wounded in the July 7 attack at the couple’s private home.

Authorities have said at least 26 suspects have been detained as part of the investigation into the assassination, including 18 former Colombian soldiers and three Haitian police officers. At least seven high-ranking police officers have been placed in isolation, but not formally arrested, Police Chief Leon Charles has said.

On Wednesday, Colombia’s government announced it would have a consular mission arriving in Haiti on Sunday to help the detained ex-soldiers and repatriate the bodies of the three others killed by Haitian authorities in the aftermath of the assassination.

The Biden administration named Thursday a special envoy to Haiti.

Ambassador Daniel Foote, who has served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Haiti and previously as the U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, will “engage with Haitian and international partners to facilitate longterm peace and stability, and support efforts to hold free and fair presidential and legislative elections,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

“He will also work with partners to coordinate assistance efforts in several areas, including humanitarian, security and investigative assistance,” Price added.

Biden’s team has been urging that democratic elections take place this year amid the country’s protracted economic and political crisis, despite concerns within Haiti that gang violence could stifle the vote.

The U.S. government is currently assisting the Haitian National Police’s investigation into Moise’s murder and has offered broad assistance to the interim government. The Biden administration also delivered 500,000 doses of covid-19 vaccines to the country last week — Haiti’s first vaccine doses — and says that more are on the way.

Biden has ruled out sending U.S. troops to the country after the government requested security assistance to secure its ports and election infrastructure in the wake of Moise’s death. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised the formation of a new interim government under Prime Minister Ariel Henry and repeated his call for elections.

“We remain committed to supporting the Haitian government’s investigation into the assassination of Jovenel Moise, expanding covid-19 vaccination efforts, working with the Haitian National Police to promote security and the rule of law, and coordinating with the international community to establish the conditions necessary for Haitians to vote as soon as feasible,” Blinken said.

“We call on all Haitians to work together to maintain peace and will continue to support the Haitian people as they strive to build a stable, prosperous and democratic country.”