Haiti has asked the United States and the United Nations to send troops to help guard Haiti’s ports, airports and other strategic facilities following the assassination of President Jovenell Moiz, a government minister said on Friday.
Washington has already announced that it will send agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other agencies to the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince.
A group of people stormed Moiza’s private residence on Wednesday night and shot him. First Lady Martine Moiza, who was injured in the attack, was first hospitalized in a local hospital, but was later transferred to a trauma center in Miami, USA, and her condition is stable.
Haitian police have said the presidential assassination was committed by at least 28 mercenaries, 26 of whom were Colombian citizens and two of whom were U.S. citizens of Haitian descent. The perpetrators of the murder are still being sought.
“[Pēc Moiza slepkavības] we thought mercenaries could destroy part of the infrastructure to create chaos in the country. In a conversation with the US Secretary of State and the UN, we made this request, “said Matthias Pierre, the Haitian election minister.
The US State Department and the Pentagon confirmed that they had received a request for “security and investigation assistance” and that officials would maintain contact with Port-au-Prince, but did not specify whether army soldiers would be sent.
The UN has not yet commented on Haiti’s request to send troops.
Washington has shown readiness to assist in the investigation into the assassination of the Haitian president, and White House spokeswoman Jena Psaki added on Friday that senior FBI and other officials will travel to Haiti as soon as possible.
–
