On July 7, 2021, Haiti's then-president Jovenel Moïse was assassinated by a commando of mercenaries in Port-au-Prince. Two years on, his widow Martine Moïse, who survived the attack, spoke to FRANCE 24 from the Haitian capital. Although several suspects have been arrested over the murder, "the present government seems to be involved" and "things are not going well in Haiti for the investigation", Moïse said. Nevertheless, she insisted that "the truth will come out" eventually.
"We do have an idea of who is behind all this," Martine Moïse said of her husband's murder. Haiti's then-president Jovenel Moïse was assassinated on July 7, 2021 by a commando of Colombian mercenaries at his private residence in the capital Port-au-Prince. However, "it's up to the investigators to say who it is", his widow added.
On June 2, dual Haitian-Chilean citizen Rodolphe Jaar was sentenced to life in prison in the United States for his role in Moïse's murder. Ten other people accused of planning the assassination from Miami, Florida are currently being held in the US.
The United States has taken "a step in the right direction" with the sentencing of Jaar, Moïse conceded, while calling for the International Criminal Court to get involved in the case – "the last recourse" possible.
Justice 'for the people'
She believes that justice must be done above all "for the people" of Haiti, so that they "can at least come to terms with all this".
Moïse went on to say that the current prime minister, Ariel Henry, "has never had any legitimacy" and "is part of the problem". Haiti is suffering from gang violence as well as a deep humanitarian crisis, coupled with profound political instability.
According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 4.9 million Haitians – almost half the population – do not have enough to eat. Some 1.8 million of them are at serious risk of starvation.
