President Moise’s Widow Speaks for the First Time

The wounded widow of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise has spoken for the first time since assassins stormed their home in Port-Au-Prince and ‘riddled’ her husband with bullets, calling on Haiti not to lose its way.

Martine Moise was transported to a Haitian hospital after the shooting and later flown to Miami for treatment.

In an audio message posted on her Twitter page on Saturday, a widowed Martine Moise called on the nation, not to ‘lose its way’ while vowing to continue her husband’s work. Haiti’s Minister of Culture and Communications has confirmed that the audio is authentic.

President Jovenel Moise was killed on July 7, allegedly by twenty-eight (28) foreign mercenaries. His widow said the attack happened so quickly; her husband was unable to “say a single word”.

Haitian authorities say twenty-six (26) were Colombians, many of them former soldiers and two were Haitian Americans.  Seventeen (17) people have been arrested so far and three suspects killed. Eight others are reportedly being sought. 

Colombia’s government has pledged to assist Haiti with its investigation efforts. It’s still unclear who organized the attack and with what motive. 

The president’s wife has suggested that he was targeted because of political reasons – in particular, a referendum on changes to the constitution which could have given him more power.

The President’s bodyguards are due to be questioned next week. While investigations continue, so does the political uncertainty in the poorest country in the Americas. Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph says he’s in charge.