Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has expressed outrage following the assassination of former presidential candidate Eric Jean Baptiste on Friday.
Baptiste, who was also the leader of a political party – the Rally of Progressive National Democrats, in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country, and his bodyguard were killed in the community of Laboule in the capital of Port-au-Prince.
Baptiste also owned one of the biggest lottery companies in Haiti, “Pere Eternel.”
So far, there have been no arrests.
The assassination of Baptiste and his bodyguard has again plunged the nation into turmoil.
“We strongly condemn this heinous crime against this patriot, this moderate politician committed to change,” said Prime Minister Ariel Henry in a message posted to social media.
The killing occurred in an area where the Ti Makak gang, which means “Little Macaques,” is fighting with the Toto gang for control of the territory.
The community is located near Pelerin, where President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in his private residence in July 2021.
Armed gangs have prevented fuel from being distributed in the country by commanding the main fuel deports. Their actions, including inter-gang rivalry have led to a state of insecurity in Haiti, where opposition force have also been calling on Prime Minister Henry to demit office.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) said “an unrelenting series of crises has trapped vulnerable Haitians in a cycle of growing desperation, without access to food, fuel, markets, jobs, and public services.”
The agency said hunger has reached a “catastrophic level” – the highest level 5, on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification index, or IPC and 4.7 million people are facing acute hunger, – in the capital’s Cité Soleil neighborhood.
The UN said vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and girls, are the most impacted by restricted access to health services.
CMC/
