Thousands of Haitian migrants have assembled under and around a bridge in a small Texas border town, presenting the Biden administration with a fresh and immediate challenge as it tries to manage large numbers of asylum-seekers who have been reaching U.S. soil.

More than 10,000 undocumented migrants reach US from Haiti

Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry has sacked the justice minister after the latter backed a prosecutor who sought charges against Henry over the murder of President Jovenel Moise.

Haiti | PM Ariel Henry: Suspect in President's Jovenel Moise killing

More than a week after Haiti suffered a major earthquake, the country’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has vowed to conduct elections as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p>

"I am committed to doing everything in my power to put my country back on the rails of a functioning democracy with the organization as&nbsp;soon&nbsp;as&nbsp;possible&nbsp;of free and transparent&nbsp;elections,"&nbsp;Henry said in the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS).

<o:p></o:p>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exile-headquarters-why-is-miami-the-hotbed-of-latin-american-assassinations-and-coup-398853">Exile headquarters: Why is Miami the 'hotbed' of Latin American assassinations and coup?</a>

He has announced that the elections will, most probably, take place on November 07. The first round was earlier scheduled for September but keeping in mind the recent tragedies in the world, that would not have been possible.<o:p></o:p>

His assurance has come at a time when the country is still trying to re-build itself after a deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country last week which killed nearly 2,200 people and injured thousands of others.

<o:p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/over-2000-people-killed-in-haiti-earthquake-406788">WATCH&nbsp;</a></o:p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/over-2000-people-killed-in-haiti-earthquake-406788/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A little before the earthquake, the country was left in shock and chaos by assassination of their President Jovenel Moise in July. On July 07, Haiti President,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-wife-injured-world-leaders-pay-tribute-396479">Jovenel Moise</a>, was assassinated in his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, while his wife survived the attack. Moise was battling a public debate of whether his presidential term should in February 2021 or 2022.<o:p></o:p>

As of now, the legislative elections and a constitutional referendum, which was supported by the deceased President are set to take place on the same day.<o:p></o:p>

More than a week after Haiti suffered a major earthquake, the country’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has vowed to conduct elections as soon as possible. "I am committed to doing everything in my power to put my country back on the rails of a functioning democracy with the organization as soon as possible of free and transparent elections," Henry said in the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS).

More than a week after Haiti suffered a major earthquake, the country’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry has vowed to conduct elections as soon as possible. "I am committed to doing everything in my power to put my country back on the rails of a functioning democracy with the organization as soon as possible of free and transparent elections," Henry said in the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS). Also read: Exile headquarters: Why is Miami the 'hotbed' of Latin American assassinations and coup? He has announced that the elections will, most probably, take place on November 07. The first round was earlier scheduled for September but keeping in mind the recent tragedies in the world, that would not have been possible. His assurance has come at a time when the country is still trying to re-build itself after a deadly 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country last week which killed nearly 2,200 people and injured thousands of others. WATCH A little before the earthquake, the country was left in shock and chaos by assassination of their President Jovenel Moise in July. On July 07, Haiti President, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, while his wife survived the attack. Moise was battling a public debate of whether his presidential term should in February 2021 or 2022. As of now, the legislative elections and a constitutional referendum, which was supported by the deceased President are set to take place on the same day.

Haiti PM promises elections to be held very soon, as country recovers from deadly earthquake

An earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti had left the Caribbean nation "on its knees", Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Wednesday, as survivors showed increasing frustration about the sluggish arrival of relief to hard-hit areas.

Henry had on Sunday flown to Les Cayes, the southwestern city of 100,000 people which bore the brunt of Saturday's magnitude 7.2 quake, and pledged a rapid increase in aid. But in a video address on Wednesday evening, he conceded Haiti was in trouble.

"Haiti is now on its knees," Henry said. "The earthquake that devastated a large part of the south of the country proves once again our limits, and how fragile we are."

Dozens of people went to Les Cayes airport demanding food after a helicopter arrived carrying supplies, a Reuters witness said. Police intervened to allow a truck carrying aid to leave.

Following another night of rains, residents in Les Cayes, including those camped in a mushrooming tent city in the city center, complained of scant assistance.

Haitian authorities said late on Wednesday that the official death toll had risen to 2,189.

Concern was also growing for more remote places outside Les Cayes such as Jeremie to the northwest, where access roads were damaged, videos on social media showed.

Pierre Cenel, a judge in Les Cayes, rebuked the government in Port-au-Prince.

"As a judge, I must not have a political opinion. But as a man, as a man concerned about the situation of my country, nothing is working. They didn't do anything to prepare for this disaster," Cenel said.

The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti is still recovering from a 2010 quake that killed over 200,000. The latest calamity hit just weeks after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated on July 7, plunging Haiti into political turmoil.

Jerry Chandler, head of Haiti's civil protection agency, told a news conference he knew aid had yet to reach many areas but officials were working hard to deliver it.

"The frustration and despair of the population is understood, but ... the population is asked not to block the convoys so that civil protection can do its job," he said.

There were at least 600,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance and 135,000 families displaced, Chandler said. The goal was to deliver aid to everyone in need within a week.

RISK OF DISEASE

In the tent city in Les Cayes displaced residents were getting worried.

"We need help," said Roosevelt Milford, a pastor speaking on radio on behalf of the hundreds camping out in soggy fields since the quake destroyed their homes.

Milford and others complained they lacked even the most basic provisions, such as food, clean drinking water, and shelter from the rain. Tanks of drinking water were destroyed during the quake, authorities said.

Tropical Storm Grace this week swept away many shelters and inundated the field.

Moril Jeudy, a community leader in Marigot south of Port-au-Prince, said while the town had emerged intact from the quake, Grace had flooded hundreds of homes, killed four people and left several more missing. And no help had arrived yet.

"Even the NGOs didn't come," he said.

Security concerns about gang-controlled areas on the route from the capital Port-au-Prince, slowed aid access.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said negotiations with armed groups had permitted a humanitarian convoy to reach Les Cayes.

Chandler said the government was increasing the number of aid convoys going by land, and aimed to reach three a day soon.

In L'Asile, a town of over 30,000 people 60 km (40 miles) northeast of Les Cayes, community leader Aldorf Hilaire said government help had yet to arrive, and survivors were relying on support from charities such as Doctors Without Borders.

"We are desperate," he told Reuters. "The springs are dirty: the water is not drinkable ... We had a bad night during the storm and the people need tents and tarps."

Authorities have said the earthquake killed at least 1,941 people and injured some 9,900 others, but with rescuers still pulling bodies from the rubble the tally looks set to rise.

In a rare piece of good news, 34 people had been rescued in the last two days, Chandler said. But hopes are fading.

An earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti had left the Caribbean nation "on its knees", Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Wednesday, as survivors showed increasing frustration about the sluggish arrival of relief to hard-hit areas.

An earthquake that killed more than 2,000 people in Haiti had left the Caribbean nation "on its knees", Prime Minister Ariel Henry said on Wednesday, as survivors showed increasing frustration about the sluggish arrival of relief to hard-hit areas. Henry had on Sunday flown to Les Cayes, the southwestern city of 100,000 people which bore the brunt of Saturday's magnitude 7.2 quake, and pledged a rapid increase in aid. But in a video address on Wednesday evening, he conceded Haiti was in trouble. "Haiti is now on its knees," Henry said. "The earthquake that devastated a large part of the south of the country proves once again our limits, and how fragile we are." Dozens of people went to Les Cayes airport demanding food after a helicopter arrived carrying supplies, a Reuters witness said. Police intervened to allow a truck carrying aid to leave. Following another night of rains, residents in Les Cayes, including those camped in a mushrooming tent city in the city center, complained of scant assistance. Haitian authorities said late on Wednesday that the official death toll had risen to 2,189. Concern was also growing for more remote places outside Les Cayes such as Jeremie to the northwest, where access roads were damaged, videos on social media showed. Pierre Cenel, a judge in Les Cayes, rebuked the government in Port-au-Prince. "As a judge, I must not have a political opinion. But as a man, as a man concerned about the situation of my country, nothing is working. They didn't do anything to prepare for this disaster," Cenel said. The poorest country in the Americas, Haiti is still recovering from a 2010 quake that killed over 200,000. The latest calamity hit just weeks after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated on July 7, plunging Haiti into political turmoil. Jerry Chandler, head of Haiti's civil protection agency, told a news conference he knew aid had yet to reach many areas but officials were working hard to deliver it. "The frustration and despair of the population is understood, but ... the population is asked not to block the convoys so that civil protection can do its job," he said. There were at least 600,000 people in need of humanitarian assistance and 135,000 families displaced, Chandler said. The goal was to deliver aid to everyone in need within a week. RISK OF DISEASE In the tent city in Les Cayes displaced residents were getting worried. "We need help," said Roosevelt Milford, a pastor speaking on radio on behalf of the hundreds camping out in soggy fields since the quake destroyed their homes. Milford and others complained they lacked even the most basic provisions, such as food, clean drinking water, and shelter from the rain. Tanks of drinking water were destroyed during the quake, authorities said. Tropical Storm Grace this week swept away many shelters and inundated the field. Moril Jeudy, a community leader in Marigot south of Port-au-Prince, said while the town had emerged intact from the quake, Grace had flooded hundreds of homes, killed four people and left several more missing. And no help had arrived yet. "Even the NGOs didn't come," he said. Security concerns about gang-controlled areas on the route from the capital Port-au-Prince, slowed aid access. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said negotiations with armed groups had permitted a humanitarian convoy to reach Les Cayes. Chandler said the government was increasing the number of aid convoys going by land, and aimed to reach three a day soon. In L'Asile, a town of over 30,000 people 60 km (40 miles) northeast of Les Cayes, community leader Aldorf Hilaire said government help had yet to arrive, and survivors were relying on support from charities such as Doctors Without Borders. "We are desperate," he told Reuters. "The springs are dirty: the water is not drinkable ... We had a bad night during the storm and the people need tents and tarps." Authorities have said the earthquake killed at least 1,941 people and injured some 9,900 others, but with rescuers still pulling bodies from the rubble the tally looks set to rise. In a rare piece of good news, 34 people had been rescued in the last two days, Chandler said. But hopes are fading.

Quake leaves Haiti 'on its knees' as impatience grows over lack of aid

Death toll in Haiti continue to mount. So far, the earthquake has killed over 2,000 people.

Over 2,000 people killed in Haiti earthquake

Tropical storm grace ravaged Haiti hampering rescue efforts as the country struggle to get on its feet in the aftermath of a massive earthquake, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, that hit the Caribbean nation on Saturday.

Tropical storm hits Haiti after earthquake, rains hamper rescue efforts

The preliminary death toll from the major earthquake that struck southwestern Haiti last weekend surged to 1,941 on Tuesday as the search for survivors resumed after a tropical storm passed and quake-hit Haitians clamored for food, shelter and medical aid. 
 
Hospitals struggled to tend to all those injured, the official tally of which rose to 9,915, with many people still missing or under the rubble, the Civil Protection Service said on Tuesday afternoon. 
 
"There weren't enough doctors and now she's dead," said Lanette Nuel, sitting listlessly next to her daughter's corpse outside the main hospital of Les Cayes, one of the towns worst hit by both the tremor and the storm's heavy rains and winds. 
 
The 26-year-old deceased woman, herself a mother of two, had been crushed by debris during the magnitude 7.2 quake. Now, she lay under a white sheet on the floor. 
 
"We came in yesterday afternoon, she died this morning. I can't do anything," her mother said. 
 
The quake on Saturday brought down tens of thousands of buildings in the poorest country in the Americas, which is still recovering from a temblor 11 years ago that killed over 200,000 people. 
 
Relief efforts were already complicated due to a weak state and difficult road access from the capital to the south due to gang control of key points. Flash flooding and landslides in the wake of Tropical Storm Grace, which by Thursday afternoon had continued on past Jamaica, further complicated matters. 
 
"Countless Haitian families who have lost everything due to the earthquake are now living literally with their feet in the water due to the flooding," said Bruno Maes, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) representative in Haiti. 
 
"Right now, about half a million Haitian children have limited or no access to shelter, safe water, healthcare and nutrition." 
 
The United Nations said it had allocated $8 million in emergency funds to provide essential healthcare, clean water, emergency shelter and sanitation for all affected people. 
 
"We will continue to scale up our response to the hardest-hit areas," UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. 
 
The hospital in Les Cayes, about 150 km (90 miles) west of the capital Port-au-Prince, was even more overwhelmed on Tuesday than before as patients who had been camping outside moved indoors overnight to escape the tropical storm. 
 
Director Peterson Gede said medics were doing the best they could, but it was not enough. 
 
"We couldn't handle all the patients," he said. "And we have been receiving supplies, but it's not enough." 
 
At a tent city in Les Cayes containing many children and babies, over a hundred people scrambled to repair makeshift coverings made of wooden poles and tarps that were destroyed by Grace overnight. Some took cover under plastic sheets. 
 
Mathieu Jameson, deputy head of the committee formed by the tent city residents, said hundreds of people there were in urgent need of food shelter and medical care. 
 
"We don't have a doctor. We don't have food. Every morning more people are arriving. We have no bathroom, no place to sleep. We need food, we need more umbrellas," said Jameson, adding the tent city was still waiting for government aid.

The preliminary death toll from the major earthquake that struck southwestern Haiti last weekend surged to 1,941 on Tuesday as the search for survivors resumed after a tropical storm passed and quake-hit Haitians clamored for food, shelter and medical aid.

The preliminary death toll from the major earthquake that struck southwestern Haiti last weekend surged to 1,941 on Tuesday as the search for survivors resumed after a tropical storm passed and quake-hit Haitians clamored for food, shelter and medical aid. Hospitals struggled to tend to all those injured, the official tally of which rose to 9,915, with many people still missing or under the rubble, the Civil Protection Service said on Tuesday afternoon. "There weren't enough doctors and now she's dead," said Lanette Nuel, sitting listlessly next to her daughter's corpse outside the main hospital of Les Cayes, one of the towns worst hit by both the tremor and the storm's heavy rains and winds. The 26-year-old deceased woman, herself a mother of two, had been crushed by debris during the magnitude 7.2 quake. Now, she lay under a white sheet on the floor. "We came in yesterday afternoon, she died this morning. I can't do anything," her mother said. The quake on Saturday brought down tens of thousands of buildings in the poorest country in the Americas, which is still recovering from a temblor 11 years ago that killed over 200,000 people. Relief efforts were already complicated due to a weak state and difficult road access from the capital to the south due to gang control of key points. Flash flooding and landslides in the wake of Tropical Storm Grace, which by Thursday afternoon had continued on past Jamaica, further complicated matters. "Countless Haitian families who have lost everything due to the earthquake are now living literally with their feet in the water due to the flooding," said Bruno Maes, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) representative in Haiti. "Right now, about half a million Haitian children have limited or no access to shelter, safe water, healthcare and nutrition." The United Nations said it had allocated $8 million in emergency funds to provide essential healthcare, clean water, emergency shelter and sanitation for all affected people. "We will continue to scale up our response to the hardest-hit areas," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. The hospital in Les Cayes, about 150 km (90 miles) west of the capital Port-au-Prince, was even more overwhelmed on Tuesday than before as patients who had been camping outside moved indoors overnight to escape the tropical storm. Director Peterson Gede said medics were doing the best they could, but it was not enough. "We couldn't handle all the patients," he said. "And we have been receiving supplies, but it's not enough." At a tent city in Les Cayes containing many children and babies, over a hundred people scrambled to repair makeshift coverings made of wooden poles and tarps that were destroyed by Grace overnight. Some took cover under plastic sheets. Mathieu Jameson, deputy head of the committee formed by the tent city residents, said hundreds of people there were in urgent need of food shelter and medical care. "We don't have a doctor. We don't have food. Every morning more people are arriving. We have no bathroom, no place to sleep. We need food, we need more umbrellas," said Jameson, adding the tent city was still waiting for government aid.

Haiti quake death toll surges to nearly 2,000, survivors clamour for aid

Haiti is caught in a series of unfortunate events. First, the country's president was assassinated. Then, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake killed 1400+ people. Now, a tropical storm is battering the island nation. Molly Gambhir gets you a report.

Gravitas: A series of tragedies in Haiti

An earthquake of 7.2 magnitudes struck Haiti on Saturday morning which killed nearly 2,000 people and destroyed about 37,312 houses. Victims of the disaster are still clamouring for food, shelter and medical aid.

Haiti earthquake survivors cry for help, hospitals struggling to save lives

Almost 1,300 people have been reported killed by a powerful earthquake that rocked&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;on Saturday, with thousands more injured, and tens of thousands of buildings destroyed or damaged.

The destruction came little more than a decade after a devastating 2010 earthquake that destroyed&nbsp;Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince and killed more than 200,000 people.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/storm-brings-floods-as-haitians-seek-help-at-overloaded-hospitals-after-quake-406267">Storm brings floods as Haitians seek help at overloaded hospitals after quake</a>

Here's a look at why the Caribbean country is affected by earthquakes.

What causes earthquakes in&nbsp;Haiti?

Haiti&nbsp;occupies the western part of Hispaniola, a Caribbean island, it shares with the Dominican Republic. Hispaniola is sandwiched between two fault systems, the Septentrional fault system to the north, and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system to the south.

The Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system is considered likely responsible for Saturday's quake, as well as the one in 2010, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/quake-death-toll-surges-to-1297-in-haiti-as-rescue-efforts-continue-405886">Quake death toll surges to&nbsp;1,297 in Haiti as rescue efforts continue</a>&nbsp;

Earthquakes happen when two tectonic plates - separate parts of the Earth's crust - suddenly slip past each other. Though friction holds these two plates together, the sudden release of energy in seismic waves cause the shaking associated with earthquakes.

Which quake was bigger, 2010's or Saturday's?

Saturday's quake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale, which is used to measure earthquake size, according to the USGS.

Though the quake in 2010 measured 7.0, the Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that Saturday's earthquake released twice as much energy as the previous one. It was felt in Jamaica, more than 200 miles (320 km) away.

Damage caused on Saturday so far appears less than 2010, the reasons for which are being studied.

"That's the million-dollar question right now," said William Barnhart, a geophysicist in the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-turmoil-haiti-gets-hit-with-deadly-quake-killing-over-300-405544">After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300</a>&nbsp;

While the 2010 earthquake struck in Leogane, just outside of&nbsp;Haiti's capital, Saturday's quake hit further from Port-au-Prince, in the Nippes department of southwestern&nbsp;Haiti.

Preliminary work suggests the quake's further distance from the capital and the mountainous, sparsely inhabited location of the epicentre - where a quake starts on the Earth's surface - could have had an impact, he added.

Will there be more earthquakes in&nbsp;Haiti?

Before the 2010 quake, the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system had not produced a major earthquake in decades, the USGS says.

However, the fault system was probably behind three other major earthquakes, occurring in 1751, 1770, and 1860 respectively, the USGS says, adding that the first two quakes destroyed Port-au-Prince.

Other quakes are likely to happen in the future.

"We know they will happen, but we don't know when they will happen," Barnhart said.

Did lessons from the 2010 earthquake have any impact?

While Barnhart says just Japan, Mexico, and US Western states have early-warning systems for earthquakes - which can buy just tens of seconds of advance notice - Claude Prepetit,&nbsp;Haiti's chief seismologist, said&nbsp;Haitians behaved differently after Saturday's quake, compared to in 2010.

Back then, he said, people exposed themselves to more danger by sheltering in buildings while aftershocks continued.

"We have learned our lesson," Prepetit said, but added more needs to be done. "We must build better, with better building materials, and then educate the population so that they can develop the right reflexes."

Almost 1,300 people have been reported killed by a powerful earthquake that rocked Haiti on Saturday, with thousands more injured, and tens of thousands of buildings destroyed or damaged.

Almost 1,300 people have been reported killed by a powerful earthquake that rocked Haiti on Saturday, with thousands more injured, and tens of thousands of buildings destroyed or damaged. The destruction came little more than a decade after a devastating 2010 earthquake that destroyed Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince and killed more than 200,000 people. Also read | Storm brings floods as Haitians seek help at overloaded hospitals after quake Here's a look at why the Caribbean country is affected by earthquakes. What causes earthquakes in Haiti? Haiti occupies the western part of Hispaniola, a Caribbean island, it shares with the Dominican Republic. Hispaniola is sandwiched between two fault systems, the Septentrional fault system to the north, and the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system to the south. The Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system is considered likely responsible for Saturday's quake, as well as the one in 2010, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Also read | Quake death toll surges to 1,297 in Haiti as rescue efforts continue Earthquakes happen when two tectonic plates - separate parts of the Earth's crust - suddenly slip past each other. Though friction holds these two plates together, the sudden release of energy in seismic waves cause the shaking associated with earthquakes. Which quake was bigger, 2010's or Saturday's? Saturday's quake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale, which is used to measure earthquake size, according to the USGS. Though the quake in 2010 measured 7.0, the Richter scale is logarithmic, meaning that Saturday's earthquake released twice as much energy as the previous one. It was felt in Jamaica, more than 200 miles (320 km) away. Damage caused on Saturday so far appears less than 2010, the reasons for which are being studied. "That's the million-dollar question right now," said William Barnhart, a geophysicist in the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Also read | After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300 While the 2010 earthquake struck in Leogane, just outside of Haiti's capital, Saturday's quake hit further from Port-au-Prince, in the Nippes department of southwestern Haiti. Preliminary work suggests the quake's further distance from the capital and the mountainous, sparsely inhabited location of the epicentre - where a quake starts on the Earth's surface - could have had an impact, he added. Will there be more earthquakes in Haiti? Before the 2010 quake, the Enriquillo-Plantain Garden fault system had not produced a major earthquake in decades, the USGS says. However, the fault system was probably behind three other major earthquakes, occurring in 1751, 1770, and 1860 respectively, the USGS says, adding that the first two quakes destroyed Port-au-Prince. Other quakes are likely to happen in the future. "We know they will happen, but we don't know when they will happen," Barnhart said. Did lessons from the 2010 earthquake have any impact? While Barnhart says just Japan, Mexico, and US Western states have early-warning systems for earthquakes - which can buy just tens of seconds of advance notice - Claude Prepetit, Haiti's chief seismologist, said Haitians behaved differently after Saturday's quake, compared to in 2010. Back then, he said, people exposed themselves to more danger by sheltering in buildings while aftershocks continued. "We have learned our lesson," Prepetit said, but added more needs to be done. "We must build better, with better building materials, and then educate the population so that they can develop the right reflexes."

Explainer: Why does Haiti have earthquakes?

Doctors in&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;on Monday battled in makeshift tents to save the lives of hundreds of injured people, including young children and the elderly, outside hospitals overwhelmed by an earthquake that killed at least 1,419 people.

While rescue teams toiled to dig out survivors of Saturday's 7.2 magnitude quake, a storm dumped heavy rain on the southern coast of&nbsp;Haiti, bringing flooding near the worst-hit areas and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, local residents said.

Deus Deronneth, a politician from the Jacmel region, posted a video on Twitter showing a torrent of water sweeping through a local town and confirmed the flooding to Reuters.

The earthquake brought down tens of thousands of buildings in the deeply impoverished country, which is still recovering from a major temblor&nbsp;11 years ago and the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moise, on July 7.

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Dozens of churches, hotels, homes and schools were seriously damaged or ruined by the quake.&nbsp;Haitian authorities said on Monday afternoon that 1,419 fatalities had been confirmed, with some 6,900 people injured and 37,312 houses destroyed.

Data circulating among aid groups indicated over 450 additional deaths had been logged in the hardest-hit department, and&nbsp;Haitian officials warned the toll was likely to rise.

The areas in and around the city of Les Cayes - some 150 km (93 miles) west of the Caribbean country's capital Port-au-Prince - suffered the most damage, putting enormous strain on local hospitals, some of which were badly damaged.

Collapsed buildings lined the main street of the seafront city of 100,000 people. Dozens of men dug through rubble from a hotel whose owner died in the quake, residents said.

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The city's general hospital was overwhelmed, with doctors and nurses attending patients in tents in its crowded parking lot because there was no more room inside.

Dozens lay on beds and mattresses on the grass outside the hospital. Inside, patients were on stretchers on the floor or on cots in crowded rooms with relatives by their sides.

Babies were being transported out of the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit over concerns that the building was unsafe after the quake, according to a Reuters witness.

Dr. Lucette Gedeon, a pediatrician, had been volunteering at the makeshift neonatal ward since Saturday and said the hospital had run out of antibiotics and anesthetics.

"There have been babies that came in needing limbs amputated after they were trapped under the rubble," Gedeon said.

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Outside, Marceline Charles said her 1-month-old baby was hit by a brick when their house collapsed. The debris also cut a deep wound in the head of her 7-year-old daughter.

"I don't know whether she'll survive," Charles said.

Nearby, Michelle Delva stood next to her sister, Claudine, cradling the injured woman's infant. Delva said that when the earthquake struck, Claudine threw herself on top of her baby to save him from falling bricks. She broke her leg and needs an operation but they had been waiting outside since Saturday.

"She's not getting the attention she needs, the doctors are so busy," Delva said.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry said there was no time to lose.

"From this Monday, we will move faster. Aid provision is going to be accelerated," he wrote on Twitter. "We will multiply efforts tenfold to reach as many victims as possible with aid."

Port-au-Prince airport on Monday bustled with medics and aid workers scrambling to get to the south with supplies.

In addition to damage to some roads in the area, access to Les Cayes has been complicated by months of political turmoil in&nbsp;Haiti, which has left gangs in control of key access routes to parts of the country.

The United Nations called for a "humanitarian corridor"&nbsp;to enable aid to pass through gang-held territories.

It was unclear whether presidential elections planned for November to draw a line under the political confusion&nbsp;since Moise was assassinated could be held.

DIFFICULT TO REACH

At Les Cayes airport, ambulances brought the severely injured from nearby areas, a Reuters witness said. Casualties were carried on stretchers to small aircraft and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter to be taken to Port-au-Prince, where hospital services were more intact.

With the phone network down in some areas, aid workers are still calibrating the damage. In difficult-to-reach villages, many houses were fragile and built on slopes vulnerable to landslides, said Alix Percinthe of the ActionAid charity.

Aid workers were hurrying to beat the onset of Tropical Depression Grace, which on Monday evening was moving west-northwest along southern&nbsp;Haiti, dumping heavy rain.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast Grace would churn alongside the quake zone, and could douse some areas with up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain through Tuesday.

Some&nbsp;Haitians who lost their homes have been sleeping outdoors, many traumatized by memories of a magnitude 7 quake https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haitians-quake-reawakens-trauma-disaster-decade-ago-2021-08-15 in 2010 that struck far closer to Port-au-Prince, killing more than 200,000 people, according to the United Nations.

Those people in the streets would be exposed to rains amid a rising risk of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, according to Jerry Chandler, head of&nbsp;Haiti's Civil Protection Agency.

"We do have a serious issue," Chandler said on Sunday.

He said boats and helicopters were being used to bring in aid, but the government was working to establish safe access by road. Initial supplies have made it through by land.

In Jeremie, to the northwest of Les Cayes, doctors were forced to treat injured patients on hospital stretchers underneath trees and on mattresses by the side of the road.

Doctors in Haiti on Monday battled in makeshift tents to save the lives of hundreds of injured people, including young children and the elderly, outside hospitals overwhelmed by an earthquake that killed at least 1,419 people.

Doctors in Haiti on Monday battled in makeshift tents to save the lives of hundreds of injured people, including young children and the elderly, outside hospitals overwhelmed by an earthquake that killed at least 1,419 people. While rescue teams toiled to dig out survivors of Saturday's 7.2 magnitude quake, a storm dumped heavy rain on the southern coast of Haiti, bringing flooding near the worst-hit areas and exacerbating the humanitarian crisis, local residents said. Deus Deronneth, a politician from the Jacmel region, posted a video on Twitter showing a torrent of water sweeping through a local town and confirmed the flooding to Reuters. The earthquake brought down tens of thousands of buildings in the deeply impoverished country, which is still recovering from a major temblor 11 years ago and the assassination of its president, Jovenel Moise, on July 7. ALSO READ | Lake Mead: Colorado basin drought sparks water limits at huge US reservoir Dozens of churches, hotels, homes and schools were seriously damaged or ruined by the quake. Haitian authorities said on Monday afternoon that 1,419 fatalities had been confirmed, with some 6,900 people injured and 37,312 houses destroyed. Data circulating among aid groups indicated over 450 additional deaths had been logged in the hardest-hit department, and Haitian officials warned the toll was likely to rise. The areas in and around the city of Les Cayes - some 150 km (93 miles) west of the Caribbean country's capital Port-au-Prince - suffered the most damage, putting enormous strain on local hospitals, some of which were badly damaged. Collapsed buildings lined the main street of the seafront city of 100,000 people. Dozens of men dug through rubble from a hotel whose owner died in the quake, residents said. ALSO READ | COVID-19: The US eased its travel advisory for India, lowering it to Level 2 The city's general hospital was overwhelmed, with doctors and nurses attending patients in tents in its crowded parking lot because there was no more room inside. Dozens lay on beds and mattresses on the grass outside the hospital. Inside, patients were on stretchers on the floor or on cots in crowded rooms with relatives by their sides. Babies were being transported out of the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit over concerns that the building was unsafe after the quake, according to a Reuters witness. Dr. Lucette Gedeon, a pediatrician, had been volunteering at the makeshift neonatal ward since Saturday and said the hospital had run out of antibiotics and anesthetics. "There have been babies that came in needing limbs amputated after they were trapped under the rubble," Gedeon said. ALSO READ | New Zealand PM Ardern orders snap three-day national lockdown after virus case Outside, Marceline Charles said her 1-month-old baby was hit by a brick when their house collapsed. The debris also cut a deep wound in the head of her 7-year-old daughter. "I don't know whether she'll survive," Charles said. Nearby, Michelle Delva stood next to her sister, Claudine, cradling the injured woman's infant. Delva said that when the earthquake struck, Claudine threw herself on top of her baby to save him from falling bricks. She broke her leg and needs an operation but they had been waiting outside since Saturday. "She's not getting the attention she needs, the doctors are so busy," Delva said. Prime Minister Ariel Henry said there was no time to lose. "From this Monday, we will move faster. Aid provision is going to be accelerated," he wrote on Twitter. "We will multiply efforts tenfold to reach as many victims as possible with aid." Port-au-Prince airport on Monday bustled with medics and aid workers scrambling to get to the south with supplies. In addition to damage to some roads in the area, access to Les Cayes has been complicated by months of political turmoil in Haiti, which has left gangs in control of key access routes to parts of the country. The United Nations called for a "humanitarian corridor" to enable aid to pass through gang-held territories. It was unclear whether presidential elections planned for November to draw a line under the political confusion since Moise was assassinated could be held. DIFFICULT TO REACH At Les Cayes airport, ambulances brought the severely injured from nearby areas, a Reuters witness said. Casualties were carried on stretchers to small aircraft and a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter to be taken to Port-au-Prince, where hospital services were more intact. With the phone network down in some areas, aid workers are still calibrating the damage. In difficult-to-reach villages, many houses were fragile and built on slopes vulnerable to landslides, said Alix Percinthe of the ActionAid charity. Aid workers were hurrying to beat the onset of Tropical Depression Grace, which on Monday evening was moving west-northwest along southern Haiti, dumping heavy rain. The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecast Grace would churn alongside the quake zone, and could douse some areas with up to 15 inches (38 cm) of rain through Tuesday. Some Haitians who lost their homes have been sleeping outdoors, many traumatized by memories of a magnitude 7 quake https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haitians-quake-reawakens-trauma-disaster-decade-ago-2021-08-15 in 2010 that struck far closer to Port-au-Prince, killing more than 200,000 people, according to the United Nations. Those people in the streets would be exposed to rains amid a rising risk of waterborne diseases, such as cholera, according to Jerry Chandler, head of Haiti's Civil Protection Agency. "We do have a serious issue," Chandler said on Sunday. He said boats and helicopters were being used to bring in aid, but the government was working to establish safe access by road. Initial supplies have made it through by land. In Jeremie, to the northwest of Les Cayes, doctors were forced to treat injured patients on hospital stretchers underneath trees and on mattresses by the side of the road.

Storm brings floods as Haitians seek help at overloaded hospitals after quake

A day after the&nbsp;powerful&nbsp;7.2-magnitude&nbsp;earthquake ravaged Haiti, the&nbsp;death toll&nbsp;soared to&nbsp;1,297 on Sunday.&nbsp;The quake had razed&nbsp;thousands of structures in the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The&nbsp;rescue efforts are now being undertaken by the personnel in the country.&nbsp;A&nbsp;tropical storm is also heading towards&nbsp;Haiti to make matters worse.&nbsp;

At least 5,700 people have also got injured in the Caribbean nation.&nbsp;Thousands more have been&nbsp;displaced due to the destruction. Several homes have either been&nbsp;destroyed or damaged.&nbsp;

In numerous&nbsp;areas,&nbsp;survivors have been forced to live&nbsp;out in the open.&nbsp;On Sunday, people could also be seen&nbsp;lining up to buy whatever little was available at a local street market.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The&nbsp;coming of Tropical Depression Grace, which may&nbsp;reach Haiti on Monday night, has left several residents worried.&nbsp;The&nbsp;tropical storm was although demoted&nbsp;to a depression on&nbsp;Sunday by&nbsp;the US National Hurricane Centre.&nbsp;It may&nbsp;bring heavy rain, flooding and landslides.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;earthquake struck at a crucial time when the&nbsp;country was&nbsp;already grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, a presidential assassination and a wave of gang violence.&nbsp;

On Sunday,&nbsp;Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the people of Haiti. He also prayed for the victims and wished encouragement for survivors. In order to&nbsp;help the people of Haiti&nbsp;in these difficult times,&nbsp;the pope called for the solidarity of the international community.&nbsp;&nbsp;

US President Joe Biden&nbsp;authorised&nbsp;an immediate response and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power to oversee the US effort to help Haiti.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A day after the powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake ravaged Haiti, the death toll soared to 1,297 on Sunday. The quake had razed thousands of structures in the country.

A day after the powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake ravaged Haiti, the death toll soared to 1,297 on Sunday. The quake had razed thousands of structures in the country. The rescue efforts are now being undertaken by the personnel in the country. A tropical storm is also heading towards Haiti to make matters worse. At least 5,700 people have also got injured in the Caribbean nation. Thousands more have been displaced due to the destruction. Several homes have either been destroyed or damaged. In numerous areas, survivors have been forced to live out in the open. On Sunday, people could also be seen lining up to buy whatever little was available at a local street market. The coming of Tropical Depression Grace, which may reach Haiti on Monday night, has left several residents worried. The tropical storm was although demoted to a depression on Sunday by the US National Hurricane Centre. It may bring heavy rain, flooding and landslides. The earthquake struck at a crucial time when the country was already grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, a presidential assassination and a wave of gang violence. On Sunday, Pope Francis expressed his closeness to the people of Haiti. He also prayed for the victims and wished encouragement for survivors. In order to help the people of Haiti in these difficult times, the pope called for the solidarity of the international community. US President Joe Biden authorised an immediate response and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power to oversee the US effort to help Haiti. (With inputs from agencies)

Quake death toll surges to 1,297 in Haiti as rescue efforts continue 

In what has added to the misery of Haiti, a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country hard, triggering large scale destruction. Around 304 people have died and at least 1,800 others have been hurt along with the destruction of hundreds of homes.&nbsp;

In the Caribbean island nation, people rushed onto streets to seek safety and help others, who are trapped in the rubble of collapsed hotels, homes and other structures.&nbsp;

According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the quake was about 125 km west of Port-au-Prince. &nbsp;

The earthquake struck the southwestern part of the nation on Saturday. The aftershocks were felt throughout the day and late into the night. &nbsp;

The residents of Haiti are already witnessing a tough time due to coronavirus pandemic, a presidential assassination and deepening poverty.&nbsp;

Many people are now living on streets as several residents have become homeless after the destruction of their homes while others are worrying about their safety in the fractured homes. &nbsp;

Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was rushing aid to areas where towns were destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed with incoming patients. He also declared a one-month state of emergency for the whole country.&nbsp;

As Tropical Storm Grace may reach Haiti late on Monday or early Tuesday, the situation could worsen by early next week. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In what has added to the misery of Haiti, a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country hard, triggering large scale destruction. Around 304 people have died and at least 1,800 others have been hurt along with the destruction of hundreds of homes.

In what has added to the misery of Haiti, a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the country hard, triggering large scale destruction. Around 304 people have died and at least 1,800 others have been hurt along with the destruction of hundreds of homes. In the Caribbean island nation, people rushed onto streets to seek safety and help others, who are trapped in the rubble of collapsed hotels, homes and other structures. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the quake was about 125 km west of Port-au-Prince. The earthquake struck the southwestern part of the nation on Saturday. The aftershocks were felt throughout the day and late into the night. The residents of Haiti are already witnessing a tough time due to coronavirus pandemic, a presidential assassination and deepening poverty. Many people are now living on streets as several residents have become homeless after the destruction of their homes while others are worrying about their safety in the fractured homes. Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he was rushing aid to areas where towns were destroyed and hospitals overwhelmed with incoming patients. He also declared a one-month state of emergency for the whole country. As Tropical Storm Grace may reach Haiti late on Monday or early Tuesday, the situation could worsen by early next week. (With inputs from agencies)

After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300 

At least 304 people killed and hundreds injured after a powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti early on Saturday reducing churches, hotels, schools, and homes to rubble.

7.2 Magnitude earthquake hits Haiti, at least 304 people killed

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude&nbsp;struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors.&nbsp;

The quake, which rattled homes and frightened locals to flee for safety, struck about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of Port-au-Prince, the country's densely populated capital.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-turmoil-haiti-gets-hit-with-deadly-quake-killing-over-300-405544">After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300</a>&nbsp;

The country's civil protection agency said hundreds of people were trapped under rubble and at least 1,800 were injured in the quake that damaged churches, businesses, schools and homes.

Rescuers raced against the clock to find survivors, with the agency tweeting that efforts by "both professional rescuers and members of the public have led to many people being pulled from the rubble," adding that already overburdened hospitals continued to receive injured.

Personnel and medicine were dispatched by Haiti's health ministry to the southwestern peninsula as quickly as possible.

After the first report of 29 fatalities, the death toll climbed steadily throughout the day until it topped 304 hours after the quake.

According to the head of the civil protection agency, Jerry Chandler, hospitals in the worst-hit areas are already struggling to provide emergency care. At least three hospitals were already full.

Several countries quickly pledged support, with the Dominican Republic shipping 10,000 food rations and medical equipment to Haiti, as well as Joe Biden approving "immediate" assistance efforts.

UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti."

"The UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts," he tweeted.

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I am following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti. 
&nbsp; 
My heart goes out to all affected by the earthquake. My deepest condolences to all who have lost family and friends. 
&nbsp; 
The <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a> is working to support rescue and relief efforts.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) <a href="https://twitter.com/antonioguterres/status/1426607727606910977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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According to Cuban television, a medical brigade of 253 Cubans has been deployed to Haiti to treat the injured and to adapt a Port-au-Prince hospital previously used for Covid patients.

In Ecuador, Quito's Fire Department reported that it is preparing to send a team of 34 team members to help with urban search and rescue efforts.

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Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also offered help while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Haitians "can count on the support of Spain to come through this terrible event."

As Ariel Henry, the prime minister, surveyed the disaster via helicopter, he declared a month-long state of emergency, urging those in the country to not panic.

Tropical Storm Grace could hinder relief efforts in Haiti as of late Monday, according to the National Weather Service. It's expected to bring heavy rainfall and flash floods.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-wife-injured-world-leaders-pay-tribute-396479">Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured; World leaders pay tribute</a>

Merely a&nbsp;month after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7th, this latest earthquake has shaken the nation already plagued with poverty, spiralling gang violence and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>.

(With inputs from agencies)

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors.

At least 304 people have died after an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck Haiti, sending buildings toppling and causing destruction as rescue workers scrambled for survivors. The quake, which rattled homes and frightened locals to flee for safety, struck about 100 miles (160 kilometres) west of Port-au-Prince, the country's densely populated capital. Also read | After turmoil, Haiti gets hit with deadly quake killing over 300 The country's civil protection agency said hundreds of people were trapped under rubble and at least 1,800 were injured in the quake that damaged churches, businesses, schools and homes. Rescuers raced against the clock to find survivors, with the agency tweeting that efforts by "both professional rescuers and members of the public have led to many people being pulled from the rubble," adding that already overburdened hospitals continued to receive injured. Personnel and medicine were dispatched by Haiti's health ministry to the southwestern peninsula as quickly as possible. After the first report of 29 fatalities, the death toll climbed steadily throughout the day until it topped 304 hours after the quake. According to the head of the civil protection agency, Jerry Chandler, hospitals in the worst-hit areas are already struggling to provide emergency care. At least three hospitals were already full. Several countries quickly pledged support, with the Dominican Republic shipping 10,000 food rations and medical equipment to Haiti, as well as Joe Biden approving "immediate" assistance efforts. UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti." "The UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts," he tweeted. I am following the latest unfolding tragedy in Haiti. My heart goes out to all affected by the earthquake. My deepest condolences to all who have lost family and friends. The @UN is working to support rescue and relief efforts. — António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 14, 2021 × According to Cuban television, a medical brigade of 253 Cubans has been deployed to Haiti to treat the injured and to adapt a Port-au-Prince hospital previously used for Covid patients. In Ecuador, Quito's Fire Department reported that it is preparing to send a team of 34 team members to help with urban search and rescue efforts. Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru and Venezuela also offered help while Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said Haitians "can count on the support of Spain to come through this terrible event." As Ariel Henry, the prime minister, surveyed the disaster via helicopter, he declared a month-long state of emergency, urging those in the country to not panic. Tropical Storm Grace could hinder relief efforts in Haiti as of late Monday, according to the National Weather Service. It's expected to bring heavy rainfall and flash floods. Also read | Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured; World leaders pay tribute Merely a month after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7th, this latest earthquake has shaken the nation already plagued with poverty, spiralling gang violence and COVID-19. (With inputs from agencies)

Haiti Earthquake: Nation searches for survivors, rescue efforts underway as at least 304 killed

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 227 people and injuring many others&nbsp;around the country, and raising fears of Tsunami.

Video footage from the country showed several buildings getting toppled by the strong earthquake as people rushed to find shelter.

The epicentre of this strong quake was nearly 100 miles (160 kilometres) from the centre of the densely populated capital Port-au-Prince.

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💔🇭🇹🕯️ My heart goes out to Haiti. Aug 14, 2021. Magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the south of the country. <a href="https://t.co/lljbOET73M">pic.twitter.com/lljbOET73M</a>
— Centre Toussaint (@CentreToussaint) <a href="https://twitter.com/CentreToussaint/status/1426567171690450946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/several-areas-in-japan-issue-evacuation-alert-after-floods-and-landslides-405378">Several areas in Japan issue evacuation alert after floods and landslides</a>

The USGS issued a Tsunami warning immediately after the earthquake. The experts calculated the possibility of waves of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) along the coastline of Haiti. While the warning has been, reportedly, lifted now, locals have been told to exercise caution.

Meanwhile, the US President Joe Biden has approved immediate help for the grieving nation. "The president authorized an immediate US response, and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power... to coordinate this effort," a senior White House official said.

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We need more than prayers <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Haiti?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Haiti</a> 😭 <a href="https://t.co/tWaQn26NH5">pic.twitter.com/tWaQn26NH5</a>
— ✨Nene 🇭🇹 (@yntch0) <a href="https://twitter.com/yntch0/status/1426571695238811654?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Saturday’s earthquake has reminded people of the 2010 which took thousands of lives, flattened several buildings and left the country struggling economically for years.

This earthquake has also come a little after the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise, who was gunned down in his home. His assassination had sent the country into a political crisis, as the country was already struggling to control the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">coronavirus</a> pandemic.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 227 people and injuring many others around the country, and raising fears of Tsunami. Video footage from the country showed several buildings getting toppled by the strong earthquake as people rushed to find shelter.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Saturday, killing at least 227 people and injuring many others around the country, and raising fears of Tsunami. Video footage from the country showed several buildings getting toppled by the strong earthquake as people rushed to find shelter. The epicentre of this strong quake was nearly 100 miles (160 kilometres) from the centre of the densely populated capital Port-au-Prince. 💔🇭🇹🕯️ My heart goes out to Haiti. Aug 14, 2021. Magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the south of the country. pic.twitter.com/lljbOET73M — Centre Toussaint (@CentreToussaint) August 14, 2021 × Also read | Several areas in Japan issue evacuation alert after floods and landslides The USGS issued a Tsunami warning immediately after the earthquake. The experts calculated the possibility of waves of up to three meters (nearly 10 feet) along the coastline of Haiti. While the warning has been, reportedly, lifted now, locals have been told to exercise caution. Meanwhile, the US President Joe Biden has approved immediate help for the grieving nation. "The president authorized an immediate US response, and named USAID Administrator Samantha Power... to coordinate this effort," a senior White House official said. We need more than prayers #Haiti 😭 pic.twitter.com/tWaQn26NH5 — ✨Nene 🇭🇹 (@yntch0) August 14, 2021 × Saturday’s earthquake has reminded people of the 2010 which took thousands of lives, flattened several buildings and left the country struggling economically for years. This earthquake has also come a little after the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moise, who was gunned down in his home. His assassination had sent the country into a political crisis, as the country was already struggling to control the coronavirus pandemic.

At least 227 people dead, several injured in Haiti's 7.2 magnitude earthquake

In Pics | Haiti searches for survivors after quake kills over 300 people

The mastermind behind the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti is most likely still at large, the country’s caretaker leader says. He remains baffled by the motive, he says, and doubts that the conspirators accused of plotting the killing had the ability to pull it off on their own.

"I think there were a lot of people involved; there were people with access to a lot of money,"&nbsp;Prime Minister Ariel Henry said Tuesday at his residence in the capital, Port-au-Prince. "The people they have accused up until now, I don’t see that they have the capacity, the web, to do it."

Also read |&nbsp;<a data-ctorig="https://www.wionews.com/world/haitian-presidents-funeral-exposes-bitterness-and-rifts-400224" data-cturl="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/haitian-presidents-funeral-exposes-bitterness-and-rifts-400224&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiSpJaL8ZfyAhXDyjgGHTO5BMYQFjAAegQIARAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2ciwXD1lK-cu7ClbLIHymY" dir="ltr" href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haitian-presidents-funeral-exposes-bitterness-and-rifts-400224" target="_blank">Haitian president's funeral exposes bitterness and rifts</a>

More than 40 people have been detained after Moïse was shot 12 times and his wife seriously injured July 7 by a group of assailants who stormed into their bedroom. The police and the prosecutor’s office continue to issue warrants for new suspects on a near daily basis. Some of the detainees have been charged, but none have been brought to court.

Few in Haiti believe the authorities have yet closed in on the people who organized and financed the complex plot. It appears to have been planned for months in Florida and Haiti and involved flying in two dozen Colombian ex-commandos to the country.

Although the president had many enemies, Henry, who was appointed by Moïse shortly before his death, said he remained baffled by the crime’s ultimate motive.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exile-headquarters-why-is-miami-the-hotbed-of-latin-american-assassinations-and-coup-398853" hreflang="en">Exile headquarters: Why is Miami the 'hotbed' of Latin American assassinations and coup?</a>

"Maybe I'm at risk, too, from the people who killed him," Henry said. "Could they do it again? I don’t know."

The opposition had said that Moïse’s five-year term should have ended Feb. 7, five years to the day since his predecessor, Michel Martelly, stepped down. But Moïse had clung to power, ruling by decree. He argued that an interim government had occupied the first year of his term. Protesters took to the streets of Haiti demanding his removal.

But Moïse had said he would not seek another term in the general elections scheduled for Sept. 26 and had been expected to step down seven months before the killing.

Claude Joseph, then the prime minister, took control of Haiti’s government immediately after the assassination, but pressure from foreign powers led to an agreement to let Henry, 71, take office July 21.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-wife-injured-world-leaders-pay-tribute-396479">Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured; World leaders pay tribute</a>

On Monday, Port-au-Prince’s chief prosecutor began issuing the first charges in the assassination investigation. The arrested suspects — who include Moïse’s security chiefs, the Colombian ex-commandos and Haitian businessmen — have been moved to a jail in preparation for trial. But despite some progress, the investigation has been mired from the start in irregularities and attempts at subversion.

At least three judicial officials who compiled evidence and conducted initial interviews with key suspects are now in hiding after receiving numerous death threats.

Henry said his main goal now was to hold free and fair elections to stabilize the country. He said he was in talks with political parties and civil leaders to appoint a new electoral board and draft a new Constitution that will be presented to voters for approval.

He promised to improve Haiti’s dire security crisis before the vote: Swaths of the capital remain in the control of the gangs. He also ruled out requesting troop assistance in preparation for the vote from allies, including the United States, saying that the task would be handed by the national police.

Henry said he would not run for office in the elections. Despite the challenges of guiding the country through a political and security crisis, he said, he continues to practice his main profession, as a neurosurgeon. He will perform his next surgery Thursday.

“My mission is to set an environment for elections with a large participation,” he said, adding that he hoped the vote would help to break Haiti’s chronic political instability. “If we can have one, two democratic transfers of power, Haiti will be fine.”

But, raising a note of uncertainty, the caretaker prime minister said Haiti’s security and political challenges made the expected election date, Sept. 26, unlikely. He declined to provide a new time frame.

His ambivalence on keeping the election date has been criticized by some Haitian politicians, who say the country needs a road map to a new government to avoid mass unrest in the aftermath of Moïse’s murder.

“If they don’t hold the elections before 2022, this country will explode,” said Mathias Pierre, Moïse’s former minister of elections, who had organized this year’s vote until the president’s death. “It’s a volcano burning inside.”

The mastermind behind the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti is most likely still at large, the country’s caretaker leader says. He remains baffled by the motive, he says, and doubts that the conspirators accused of plotting the killing had the ability to pull it off on their own.

The mastermind behind the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti is most likely still at large, the country’s caretaker leader says. He remains baffled by the motive, he says, and doubts that the conspirators accused of plotting the killing had the ability to pull it off on their own. "I think there were a lot of people involved; there were people with access to a lot of money," Prime Minister Ariel Henry said Tuesday at his residence in the capital, Port-au-Prince. "The people they have accused up until now, I don’t see that they have the capacity, the web, to do it." Also read | Haitian president's funeral exposes bitterness and rifts More than 40 people have been detained after Moïse was shot 12 times and his wife seriously injured July 7 by a group of assailants who stormed into their bedroom. The police and the prosecutor’s office continue to issue warrants for new suspects on a near daily basis. Some of the detainees have been charged, but none have been brought to court. Few in Haiti believe the authorities have yet closed in on the people who organized and financed the complex plot. It appears to have been planned for months in Florida and Haiti and involved flying in two dozen Colombian ex-commandos to the country. Although the president had many enemies, Henry, who was appointed by Moïse shortly before his death, said he remained baffled by the crime’s ultimate motive. Also read | Exile headquarters: Why is Miami the 'hotbed' of Latin American assassinations and coup? "Maybe I'm at risk, too, from the people who killed him," Henry said. "Could they do it again? I don’t know." The opposition had said that Moïse’s five-year term should have ended Feb. 7, five years to the day since his predecessor, Michel Martelly, stepped down. But Moïse had clung to power, ruling by decree. He argued that an interim government had occupied the first year of his term. Protesters took to the streets of Haiti demanding his removal. But Moïse had said he would not seek another term in the general elections scheduled for Sept. 26 and had been expected to step down seven months before the killing. Claude Joseph, then the prime minister, took control of Haiti’s government immediately after the assassination, but pressure from foreign powers led to an agreement to let Henry, 71, take office July 21. Also read | Haiti President Jovenel Moise assassinated, wife injured; World leaders pay tribute On Monday, Port-au-Prince’s chief prosecutor began issuing the first charges in the assassination investigation. The arrested suspects — who include Moïse’s security chiefs, the Colombian ex-commandos and Haitian businessmen — have been moved to a jail in preparation for trial. But despite some progress, the investigation has been mired from the start in irregularities and attempts at subversion. At least three judicial officials who compiled evidence and conducted initial interviews with key suspects are now in hiding after receiving numerous death threats. Henry said his main goal now was to hold free and fair elections to stabilize the country. He said he was in talks with political parties and civil leaders to appoint a new electoral board and draft a new Constitution that will be presented to voters for approval. He promised to improve Haiti’s dire security crisis before the vote: Swaths of the capital remain in the control of the gangs. He also ruled out requesting troop assistance in preparation for the vote from allies, including the United States, saying that the task would be handed by the national police. Henry said he would not run for office in the elections. Despite the challenges of guiding the country through a political and security crisis, he said, he continues to practice his main profession, as a neurosurgeon. He will perform his next surgery Thursday. “My mission is to set an environment for elections with a large participation,” he said, adding that he hoped the vote would help to break Haiti’s chronic political instability. “If we can have one, two democratic transfers of power, Haiti will be fine.” But, raising a note of uncertainty, the caretaker prime minister said Haiti’s security and political challenges made the expected election date, Sept. 26, unlikely. He declined to provide a new time frame. His ambivalence on keeping the election date has been criticized by some Haitian politicians, who say the country needs a road map to a new government to avoid mass unrest in the aftermath of Moïse’s murder. “If they don’t hold the elections before 2022, this country will explode,” said Mathias Pierre, Moïse’s former minister of elections, who had organized this year’s vote until the president’s death. “It’s a volcano burning inside.”

Assassination mastermind may still be at large, Haiti’s caretaker leader says

Haitian police on Friday outlined fresh accusations against a former Supreme Court judge over her links to the assassination of President Jovenel Moise earlier this month, saying she had met with some Colombian mercenaries accused of killing him.

The assassination of Moise has plunged the Western hemisphere's poorest nation deeper into chaos and launched an international manhunt for mercenaries and the murder masterminds across the Americas.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/assassins-will-kill-every-president-that-comes-to-power-slain-haiti-leaders-wife-martine-moise-401971">'Assassins will kill every president that comes to power': Slain Haiti leader’s wife Martine Moise</a>

Haitian police had earlier this week issued an arrest warrant for Wendelle Coq-Thelot, a former Supreme Court judge who was ousted with two other judges earlier in February when Moise alleged a coup was being planned against him.

Coq-Thelot's whereabouts are unknown and she could not be reached for comment.

Colombian mercenaries and&nbsp;Haitian-Americans arrested in the wake of Moise's murder said they had met Coq-Thelot, according to Inspector General Marie Michelle Verrier, the spokesperson for the National Police of&nbsp;Haiti.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haitian-presidents-funeral-exposes-bitterness-and-rifts-400224">Haitian president’s funeral exposes bitterness and rifts</a>

"Several of them have indicated that they have been to Mrs. Coq’s home twice," Verrier told reporters. "These people gave to (police) details of documents signed during the meetings at Mrs. Coq's home."

Police have raided Coq-Thelot's main home as well as other residences in the countryside, Verrier said. A wanted poster for Coq Wandelle has also been launched.

Many questions remain over who was behind the assassination this month and how the killers gained access to the president's home.&nbsp;Haitian officials blamed a squad of mostly Colombian mercenaries, three of whom were killed by police.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ariel-henry-sworn-in-as-new-prime-minister-of-haiti-399351/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

A top Moise security official was arrested on suspicion of involvement on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Earlier in the day, Colombia called on&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;to guarantee the legal and medical rights of 18 Colombians detained on the Caribbean island for alleged participation in Moise's assassination.

Haitian police on Friday outlined fresh accusations against a former Supreme Court judge over her links to the assassination of President Jovenel Moise earlier this month, saying she had met with some Colombian mercenaries accused of killing him.

Haitian police on Friday outlined fresh accusations against a former Supreme Court judge over her links to the assassination of President Jovenel Moise earlier this month, saying she had met with some Colombian mercenaries accused of killing him. The assassination of Moise has plunged the Western hemisphere's poorest nation deeper into chaos and launched an international manhunt for mercenaries and the murder masterminds across the Americas. Also read | 'Assassins will kill every president that comes to power': Slain Haiti leader’s wife Martine Moise Haitian police had earlier this week issued an arrest warrant for Wendelle Coq-Thelot, a former Supreme Court judge who was ousted with two other judges earlier in February when Moise alleged a coup was being planned against him. Coq-Thelot's whereabouts are unknown and she could not be reached for comment. Colombian mercenaries and Haitian-Americans arrested in the wake of Moise's murder said they had met Coq-Thelot, according to Inspector General Marie Michelle Verrier, the spokesperson for the National Police of Haiti. Also read | Haitian president’s funeral exposes bitterness and rifts "Several of them have indicated that they have been to Mrs. Coq’s home twice," Verrier told reporters. "These people gave to (police) details of documents signed during the meetings at Mrs. Coq's home." Police have raided Coq-Thelot's main home as well as other residences in the countryside, Verrier said. A wanted poster for Coq Wandelle has also been launched. Many questions remain over who was behind the assassination this month and how the killers gained access to the president's home. Haitian officials blamed a squad of mostly Colombian mercenaries, three of whom were killed by police. A top Moise security official was arrested on suspicion of involvement on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Colombia called on Haiti to guarantee the legal and medical rights of 18 Colombians detained on the Caribbean island for alleged participation in Moise's assassination.

Haiti police suspect ousted Supreme Court judge for president's assassination

The wife of&nbsp;Haiti's murdered president, seriously wounded in the very attack that killed her husband, listened in terror as the gunmen ransacked their home, she said in her first interview since the assassination.

The killers eventually found what they were looking for in president Jovenel Moise's residence, and made cursory efforts on their way out to see if first lady Martine Moise was still alive. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

"When they left, they thought I was dead," she told the New York Times in an interview published Friday, weeks after the July 7 assassination that heaped a fresh crisis on the fragile Caribbean nation.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/they-riddled-him-with-bullets-didnt-let-him-say-a-word-haiti-presidents-widow-speaks-up-on-his-assassination-397263">They riddled him with bullets, didn't let him say a word: Haiti president's widow speaks up on his assassination</a>

She survived and was rushed for emergency treatment to the United States, where she spoke to the newspaper while flanked by security guards, diplomats and family.

Martine is left wondering what happened to the 30 to 50 men usually posted to guard her husband at the house. None of those guards were killed or even wounded.

"Only the oligarchs and the system could kill him," she said.

Haitian police have arrested the head of Jovenel Moise's security, as well as some 20 Colombian mercenaries, over the plot they say was organized by a group of Haitians with foreign ties.&nbsp;

Jovenel Moise had been ruling the impoverished and disaster-plagued nation by decree, as gang violence spiked and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> spread.

His widow told the New York Times that the couple had been asleep when the sound of gunfire woke them.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/martine-moise-widow-of-assassinated-president-returns-to-haiti-398790">Martine Moise, widow of assassinated president, returns to Haiti</a>

He called his security team for help, but soon the killers were shooting in the bedroom. She was struck in the hand and elbow.

As she lay bleeding, her husband dead or dying in the same room, she felt like she was suffocating because her mouth was so full of blood.

The killers spoke only Spanish --&nbsp;Haiti's languages are Creole and French -- and were communicating by phone with someone while they carried out the attack.

She said she doesn't know what the assassins took, but that it came from a shelf where her husband kept his files.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/haiti-assassination-aftermath-haitian-first-lady-martine-moise-recounts-the-attack-397307/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Martine Moise wants the killers to know she is not afraid and is seriously considering a run for the presidency once she is healthy.

"I would like people who did this to be caught, otherwise they will kill every single president who takes power," she said. "They did it once. They will do it again."

The wife of Haiti's murdered president, seriously wounded in the very attack that killed her husband, listened in terror as the gunmen ransacked their home, she said in her first interview since the assassination.

The wife of Haiti's murdered president, seriously wounded in the very attack that killed her husband, listened in terror as the gunmen ransacked their home, she said in her first interview since the assassination. The killers eventually found what they were looking for in president Jovenel Moise's residence, and made cursory efforts on their way out to see if first lady Martine Moise was still alive. "When they left, they thought I was dead," she told the New York Times in an interview published Friday, weeks after the July 7 assassination that heaped a fresh crisis on the fragile Caribbean nation. Also read | They riddled him with bullets, didn't let him say a word: Haiti president's widow speaks up on his assassination She survived and was rushed for emergency treatment to the United States, where she spoke to the newspaper while flanked by security guards, diplomats and family. Martine is left wondering what happened to the 30 to 50 men usually posted to guard her husband at the house. None of those guards were killed or even wounded. "Only the oligarchs and the system could kill him," she said. Haitian police have arrested the head of Jovenel Moise's security, as well as some 20 Colombian mercenaries, over the plot they say was organized by a group of Haitians with foreign ties. Jovenel Moise had been ruling the impoverished and disaster-plagued nation by decree, as gang violence spiked and COVID-19 spread. His widow told the New York Times that the couple had been asleep when the sound of gunfire woke them. Also read | Martine Moise, widow of assassinated president, returns to Haiti He called his security team for help, but soon the killers were shooting in the bedroom. She was struck in the hand and elbow. As she lay bleeding, her husband dead or dying in the same room, she felt like she was suffocating because her mouth was so full of blood. The killers spoke only Spanish -- Haiti's languages are Creole and French -- and were communicating by phone with someone while they carried out the attack. She said she doesn't know what the assassins took, but that it came from a shelf where her husband kept his files. Martine Moise wants the killers to know she is not afraid and is seriously considering a run for the presidency once she is healthy. "I would like people who did this to be caught, otherwise they will kill every single president who takes power," she said. "They did it once. They will do it again."

'Assassins will kill every president that comes to power': Slain Haiti leader’s wife Martine Moise

Heckled by protesters and surrounded by phalanxes of heavily armed guards, foreign diplomats and Haitian politicians attended the funeral of Haiti’s assassinated president Friday at his family homestead, an event that laid bare a fractured nation’s problems instead of providing an opportunity for healing.

Less than a half-hour into the funeral, the U.S. delegation, led by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, departed. It was not immediately clear why but there were unconfirmed reports of shooting outside, raising additional security concerns.

As the flag-covered coffin President Jovenel Moïse was brought onto a central stage lined with white curtains, carried by men in military uniforms, a moment that many had hoped would help promote reconciliation was overshadowed by tensions that had exploded in the streets the day before.

A line of Moïse’s supporters stood by the entrance and yelled at arriving politicians, shouting “Justice for Jovenel!”

When Haiti’s national police chief, Leon Charles, arrived, the crowd surged around him and erupted into shouting and finger pointing. As he passed a grandstand of invited guests, many there also jumped to their feet to holler their displeasure.

“He killed the president!” shouted Marie Michelle Nelcifor, adding that she believed Moïse had telephoned Charles while assassins attacked his home but that Charles had not sent police officers to defend him. “Where were the security guards?” she asked.

Others were angry that the president would be buried before the investigation into his assassination was completed. “They are burning him surrounded by his assassins!” shouted Kettie Compere, a mother of two looking up at the grandstand of diplomats and Haitian politicians where Charles had settled.

When Martine Moïse, the president’s widow, arrived dressed in black with a large black hat and a mask with a photo of her husband affixed to it, the crowd surged around her, singing “arrest them, arrest them.”

In remarks after the delegation’s arrival at Cap-Haïtien’s airport earlier Friday, Thomas-Greenfield said: “Our delegation is here to bring a message to the Haitian people: You deserve democracy, stability, security and prosperity, and we stand with you in this time of crisis. So, we come here in solidarity with the Haitian people during this difficult time.”

The July 7 killing of Moïse, 53, in the bedroom of his home near Port-au-Prince, the capital, has plunged the Caribbean nation of 11 million into one of its deepest crises. Officials have blamed a group of Colombian mercenaries, but many questions remain unanswered, including who planned the assassination and why no members of his security detail were hurt. Several members of that security detail have been questioned and taken into custody.

Pressured by Western countries led by the United States, Haiti’s other political leaders, jostling for power, have pledged an orderly transition and a democratic process. But it was clear even before the funeral that deep divisions would shape and possibly subvert what many hoped would be a venue for reconciliation.

Just hours earlier, the northern city of Cap-Haïtien — 30 minutes from his family homestead — had burned with anger and frustration, exposing Haiti’s the distrust of the elite in the country’s less developed north.

On Thursday, the streets billowed with the black smoke of burning tires, a common form of protest in a country split by geography, wealth and power. Large crowds of demonstrators ran though the narrow colonial streets, chanting, “They killed Jovenel, and the police were there.”

“We sent them someone alive; they sent him back a cadaver,” screamed Frantz Atole, a 42-year-old mechanic, promising violence. “This country is not going to be silent.”

A new government was installed in the capital this week, and its leaders vowed to get to the bottom of the killing and to build consensus among the country’s political factions and its civic groups.

Yet the unrest Thursday threatened to turn hopes of consensus into a naive, unrealized dream.

“The bourgeoisie from Port-au-Prince are responsible. They are the reason for all of this,” said Emmanuella Joseph, a 20-year-old secondary school student, crying into a face cloth on the side of the road at the tail end of a running protest.

She added that the president’s killers were outsiders who had long meddled with the country’s destiny. “What kind of nation comes and kills a president?”

Cap-Haïtien was once the capital of the French colony of St. Domingue, which claimed one of the most brutal slave plantation economies in the world and was later overwhelmed by the world’s most successful slave rebellion. Banners strung across its roads read “Justice for President Jovenel” and “Thank you President Jovenel. You gave your life for the people’s fight and it will continue.”

Just off the city’s main stone square, where rebel leaders were executed more than two centuries ago, mourners lined up Thursday to sign condolence books and light candles before a large photo of the president in a government building.

“We are living in a time that’s so fragile,” said Maxil Mompremier, standing outside the colonial-era Notre Dame de L’Assomption Cathedral, where Moïse’s supporters had gathered earlier for a service. “Nobody understands what happened. A lot of people are afraid.”

Hailing from the north of the country, Moïse was not well-known in the country’s power center of Port-au-Prince when the governing party chose him as its candidate in the 2015 election. He was born in the town of Trou-du-Nord, and later began his entrepreneurial career from Port-de-Paix, where he became president of the Chamber of Commerce.

That he was killed far away in Port-au-Prince inflamed old divisions between the less developed north and the country’s capital and economic center. It also deepened the rifts between the country’s small elite and its destitute majority.

“It comes back incessantly in all the history of Haiti,” said Emile Eyma Jr., a historian based in Cap-Haïtien, speaking of the resentment felt by northerners.

Heckled by protesters and surrounded by phalanxes of heavily armed guards, foreign diplomats and Haitian politicians attended the funeral of Haiti’s assassinated president Friday at his family homestead, an event that laid bare a fractured nation’s problems instead of providing an opportunity for healing.

Heckled by protesters and surrounded by phalanxes of heavily armed guards, foreign diplomats and Haitian politicians attended the funeral of Haiti’s assassinated president Friday at his family homestead, an event that laid bare a fractured nation’s problems instead of providing an opportunity for healing. Less than a half-hour into the funeral, the U.S. delegation, led by Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, departed. It was not immediately clear why but there were unconfirmed reports of shooting outside, raising additional security concerns. As the flag-covered coffin President Jovenel Moïse was brought onto a central stage lined with white curtains, carried by men in military uniforms, a moment that many had hoped would help promote reconciliation was overshadowed by tensions that had exploded in the streets the day before. A line of Moïse’s supporters stood by the entrance and yelled at arriving politicians, shouting “Justice for Jovenel!” When Haiti’s national police chief, Leon Charles, arrived, the crowd surged around him and erupted into shouting and finger pointing. As he passed a grandstand of invited guests, many there also jumped to their feet to holler their displeasure. “He killed the president!” shouted Marie Michelle Nelcifor, adding that she believed Moïse had telephoned Charles while assassins attacked his home but that Charles had not sent police officers to defend him. “Where were the security guards?” she asked. Others were angry that the president would be buried before the investigation into his assassination was completed. “They are burning him surrounded by his assassins!” shouted Kettie Compere, a mother of two looking up at the grandstand of diplomats and Haitian politicians where Charles had settled. When Martine Moïse, the president’s widow, arrived dressed in black with a large black hat and a mask with a photo of her husband affixed to it, the crowd surged around her, singing “arrest them, arrest them.” In remarks after the delegation’s arrival at Cap-Haïtien’s airport earlier Friday, Thomas-Greenfield said: “Our delegation is here to bring a message to the Haitian people: You deserve democracy, stability, security and prosperity, and we stand with you in this time of crisis. So, we come here in solidarity with the Haitian people during this difficult time.” The July 7 killing of Moïse, 53, in the bedroom of his home near Port-au-Prince, the capital, has plunged the Caribbean nation of 11 million into one of its deepest crises. Officials have blamed a group of Colombian mercenaries, but many questions remain unanswered, including who planned the assassination and why no members of his security detail were hurt. Several members of that security detail have been questioned and taken into custody. Pressured by Western countries led by the United States, Haiti’s other political leaders, jostling for power, have pledged an orderly transition and a democratic process. But it was clear even before the funeral that deep divisions would shape and possibly subvert what many hoped would be a venue for reconciliation. Just hours earlier, the northern city of Cap-Haïtien — 30 minutes from his family homestead — had burned with anger and frustration, exposing Haiti’s the distrust of the elite in the country’s less developed north. On Thursday, the streets billowed with the black smoke of burning tires, a common form of protest in a country split by geography, wealth and power. Large crowds of demonstrators ran though the narrow colonial streets, chanting, “They killed Jovenel, and the police were there.” “We sent them someone alive; they sent him back a cadaver,” screamed Frantz Atole, a 42-year-old mechanic, promising violence. “This country is not going to be silent.” A new government was installed in the capital this week, and its leaders vowed to get to the bottom of the killing and to build consensus among the country’s political factions and its civic groups. Yet the unrest Thursday threatened to turn hopes of consensus into a naive, unrealized dream. “The bourgeoisie from Port-au-Prince are responsible. They are the reason for all of this,” said Emmanuella Joseph, a 20-year-old secondary school student, crying into a face cloth on the side of the road at the tail end of a running protest. She added that the president’s killers were outsiders who had long meddled with the country’s destiny. “What kind of nation comes and kills a president?” Cap-Haïtien was once the capital of the French colony of St. Domingue, which claimed one of the most brutal slave plantation economies in the world and was later overwhelmed by the world’s most successful slave rebellion. Banners strung across its roads read “Justice for President Jovenel” and “Thank you President Jovenel. You gave your life for the people’s fight and it will continue.” Just off the city’s main stone square, where rebel leaders were executed more than two centuries ago, mourners lined up Thursday to sign condolence books and light candles before a large photo of the president in a government building. “We are living in a time that’s so fragile,” said Maxil Mompremier, standing outside the colonial-era Notre Dame de L’Assomption Cathedral, where Moïse’s supporters had gathered earlier for a service. “Nobody understands what happened. A lot of people are afraid.” Hailing from the north of the country, Moïse was not well-known in the country’s power center of Port-au-Prince when the governing party chose him as its candidate in the 2015 election. He was born in the town of Trou-du-Nord, and later began his entrepreneurial career from Port-de-Paix, where he became president of the Chamber of Commerce. That he was killed far away in Port-au-Prince inflamed old divisions between the less developed north and the country’s capital and economic center. It also deepened the rifts between the country’s small elite and its destitute majority. “It comes back incessantly in all the history of Haiti,” said Emile Eyma Jr., a historian based in Cap-Haïtien, speaking of the resentment felt by northerners.

Haitian president’s funeral exposes bitterness and rifts

Haiti has appointed a new prime minister, less than two weeks after President Jovenel Moise’s assassination threw the deeply divided Caribbean nation into greater political uncertainty. Ariel Henry sworn-in as new Prime Minister of Haiti.

Ariel Henry sworn-in as new Prime Minister of Haiti

Haiti's new prime minister Ariel Henry took office Tuesday in the aftermath of the president's assassination two weeks ago, pledging to improve the country's dire security and to organise&nbsp;long-delayed elections.

Henry was installed as head of a new government in an attempt to stabilisee a country on the brink of chaos since the murder of president Jovenel Moise at his residence in the early hours of July 7.

The swearing-in of Henry, who was named to the post by Moise days before his death, was seen as a key step towards holding elections as demanded by many Haitians and the international community.

After the president was killed by armed commandos, acting prime minister Claude Joseph declared a "state of siege" and said he was in charge, launching a power tussle in the violence-wracked, impoverished Caribbean nation.

"One of my priority tasks will be to reassure the people that we will do everything to restore order and security," Henry said Tuesday to&nbsp;Haiti's population of 10 million people.

"This is one of the main issues that the president wanted me to tackle, because he understood that it was a necessary step if we were to succeed in his other concern of organising credible, honest, transparent and inclusive elections."

The inauguration ceremony in Port-au-Prince was preceded by solemn tributes to Moise, including speeches, dancing and music on a stage set with bouquets of white flowers and a giant portrait of the assassinated president.

Haitian authorities, with the help of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, are still investigating the murky motives for Moise's assassination.&nbsp;

More than 20 people, many of them retired Colombian military personnel, have been arrested in connection with the killing.

Ruled by decree

In the new government, Joseph, who agreed to stand down and cede the role to Henry, returned to his former post as foreign minister.

Moise, 53, had ruled&nbsp;Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, by decree after legislative elections due in 2018 were delayed in the wake of multiple disputes, including on when his own term ended.

As well as presidential, legislative and local elections,&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;had been due to have a constitutional referendum in September after it was twice postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the power struggle after Moise's killing, the balance tipped towards Henry when ambassadors -- including from the United States, France and the United Nations -- informally threw their support behind the 71-year-old neurosurgeon.

Haiti&nbsp;has no working parliament and no workable succession process, and was already mired deep in a political and security crisis when Moise was killed.

Haitian police have accused a Haitian doctor with ties to Florida, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, of being a mastermind of the plot and having "political objectives."

"All the culprits, perpetrators and sponsors must be identified and brought before Haitian justice," Henry, who has previously held several ministerial jobs, said in his speech.

"And I hope that exemplary and dissuasive sentences will be pronounced. The nation expects no less from its leaders. Never again will we have to relive such a tragedy."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haitis-acting-pm-to-resign-in-wake-of-moises-assassination-report-399184">Also read |&nbsp;Haiti’s acting PM to resign in wake of Moise’s&nbsp;assassination: Report&nbsp;</a>

"The solution to the Haitian crisis must come from the Haitians," he added.

"Everything is negotiable, except democracy, elections and the rule of law."

Henry also thanked international partners for the arrival of the country's first batch of Covid-19 vaccines, which arrived last week in a nation with scarce health resources.

The United States, which exerts wide influence in&nbsp;Haiti, welcomed the new government, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying it was "a positive and necessary step to respond to the Haitian people’s needs and begin restoring&nbsp;Haiti's democratic institutions."

Moise will be laid to rest on Friday in the northern city of Cap-Haitien. His widow Martine, who was seriously wounded in the attack, was treated in a Miami hospital before returning home over the weekend.

Haiti's new prime minister Ariel Henry took office Tuesday in the aftermath of the president's assassination two weeks ago, pledging to improve the country's dire security and to organise long-delayed elections.

Haiti's new prime minister Ariel Henry took office Tuesday in the aftermath of the president's assassination two weeks ago, pledging to improve the country's dire security and to organise long-delayed elections. Henry was installed as head of a new government in an attempt to stabilisee a country on the brink of chaos since the murder of president Jovenel Moise at his residence in the early hours of July 7. The swearing-in of Henry, who was named to the post by Moise days before his death, was seen as a key step towards holding elections as demanded by many Haitians and the international community. After the president was killed by armed commandos, acting prime minister Claude Joseph declared a "state of siege" and said he was in charge, launching a power tussle in the violence-wracked, impoverished Caribbean nation. "One of my priority tasks will be to reassure the people that we will do everything to restore order and security," Henry said Tuesday to Haiti's population of 10 million people. "This is one of the main issues that the president wanted me to tackle, because he understood that it was a necessary step if we were to succeed in his other concern of organising credible, honest, transparent and inclusive elections." The inauguration ceremony in Port-au-Prince was preceded by solemn tributes to Moise, including speeches, dancing and music on a stage set with bouquets of white flowers and a giant portrait of the assassinated president. Haitian authorities, with the help of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation, are still investigating the murky motives for Moise's assassination. More than 20 people, many of them retired Colombian military personnel, have been arrested in connection with the killing. Ruled by decree In the new government, Joseph, who agreed to stand down and cede the role to Henry, returned to his former post as foreign minister. Moise, 53, had ruled Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, by decree after legislative elections due in 2018 were delayed in the wake of multiple disputes, including on when his own term ended. As well as presidential, legislative and local elections, Haiti had been due to have a constitutional referendum in September after it was twice postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the power struggle after Moise's killing, the balance tipped towards Henry when ambassadors -- including from the United States, France and the United Nations -- informally threw their support behind the 71-year-old neurosurgeon. Haiti has no working parliament and no workable succession process, and was already mired deep in a political and security crisis when Moise was killed. Haitian police have accused a Haitian doctor with ties to Florida, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, of being a mastermind of the plot and having "political objectives." "All the culprits, perpetrators and sponsors must be identified and brought before Haitian justice," Henry, who has previously held several ministerial jobs, said in his speech. "And I hope that exemplary and dissuasive sentences will be pronounced. The nation expects no less from its leaders. Never again will we have to relive such a tragedy." Also read | Haiti’s acting PM to resign in wake of Moise’s assassination: Report "The solution to the Haitian crisis must come from the Haitians," he added. "Everything is negotiable, except democracy, elections and the rule of law." Henry also thanked international partners for the arrival of the country's first batch of Covid-19 vaccines, which arrived last week in a nation with scarce health resources. The United States, which exerts wide influence in Haiti, welcomed the new government, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken saying it was "a positive and necessary step to respond to the Haitian people’s needs and begin restoring Haiti's democratic institutions." Moise will be laid to rest on Friday in the northern city of Cap-Haitien. His widow Martine, who was seriously wounded in the attack, was treated in a Miami hospital before returning home over the weekend.

Roiled by presidential assassination, Haiti swears in new PM

According to a top&nbsp;official,&nbsp;Haiti’s interim prime minister Claude Joseph will&nbsp;resign from his post.&nbsp;The move comes in the wake of the July 7 assassination of president Jovenel Moise.&nbsp;

Negotiations are still ongoing, but Ariel Henry, who&nbsp;Moise had designated to replace&nbsp;Joseph a day before he was killed, will lead the country, said&nbsp;elections minister Mathias Pierre as per&nbsp;a report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Earlier,&nbsp;Martine Moise, the widow of Haiti's assassinated president Jovenel Moise, returned to the Caribbean nation for his funeral after she was treated in a Miami hospital for injuries sustained during the attack at their private residence.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Jovenel Moise was shot dead when assassins armed with assault rifles stormed his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, tipping the country into uncertainty and sparking a frenzied investigation to identify the authors of the plan.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister's office tweeted a video of Martine Moise arriving back at the Haitian capital's Toussaint Louverture international airport, wearing all black clothing, donning a bullet proof vest and with her right arm in a sling.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Martine Moise had tweeted earlier this week while in Miami that she was still coming to terms with the killing of her husband and had thanked a "team of guardian angels who helped me through this terrible time."&nbsp;

Earlier on Saturday, the important Core Group of international ambassadors and representatives had urged "the formation of a consensual and inclusive government".&nbsp;

"To this end, we strongly encourage the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government," the group said. Henry, who Moise designated Prime Minister shortly before being killed, has not been sworn into his position and the country is being led by Joseph.&nbsp;

The Core Group is made up of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the United States, France, the European Union and special representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States.&nbsp;

"As Haiti faces serious dangers, the members of the group express the wish that all political, economic and civil society actors in the country fully support the authorities in their efforts to restore security throughout the country," it said.&nbsp;

The group also called for the organization of "free, fair, transparent and credible legislative and presidential elections as quickly as possible".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;&nbsp;

According to a top official, Haiti’s interim prime minister Claude Joseph will resign from his post. The move comes in the wake of the July 7 assassination of president Jovenel Moise.

According to a top official, Haiti’s interim prime minister Claude Joseph will resign from his post. The move comes in the wake of the July 7 assassination of president Jovenel Moise. Negotiations are still ongoing, but Ariel Henry, who Moise had designated to replace Joseph a day before he was killed, will lead the country, said elections minister Mathias Pierre as per a report. Earlier, Martine Moise, the widow of Haiti's assassinated president Jovenel Moise, returned to the Caribbean nation for his funeral after she was treated in a Miami hospital for injuries sustained during the attack at their private residence. Jovenel Moise was shot dead when assassins armed with assault rifles stormed his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, tipping the country into uncertainty and sparking a frenzied investigation to identify the authors of the plan. The Prime Minister's office tweeted a video of Martine Moise arriving back at the Haitian capital's Toussaint Louverture international airport, wearing all black clothing, donning a bullet proof vest and with her right arm in a sling. Martine Moise had tweeted earlier this week while in Miami that she was still coming to terms with the killing of her husband and had thanked a "team of guardian angels who helped me through this terrible time." Earlier on Saturday, the important Core Group of international ambassadors and representatives had urged "the formation of a consensual and inclusive government". "To this end, we strongly encourage the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government," the group said. Henry, who Moise designated Prime Minister shortly before being killed, has not been sworn into his position and the country is being led by Joseph. The Core Group is made up of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the United States, France, the European Union and special representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States. "As Haiti faces serious dangers, the members of the group express the wish that all political, economic and civil society actors in the country fully support the authorities in their efforts to restore security throughout the country," it said. The group also called for the organization of "free, fair, transparent and credible legislative and presidential elections as quickly as possible". (With inputs from agencies)

Haiti’s acting PM to resign in wake of Moise’s assassination: Report 

Martine Moise, the widow of Haiti's assassinated president Jovenel Moise, returned to the Caribbean nation on Saturday for his funeral after she was treated in a Miami hospital for injuries sustained during the July 7 attack at their private residence. 
 
Jovenel Moise was shot dead when assassins armed with assault rifles stormed his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, tipping the country into uncertainty and sparking a frenzied investigation to identify the authors of the plan. 
 
The Prime Minister's office tweeted a video of Martine Moise arriving back at the Haitian capital's Toussaint Louverture international airport on Saturday, wearing all black clothing, donning a bullet proof vest and with her right arm in a sling. She was greeted by Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph. 
 
"The Prime Minister, Dr&nbsp;Claude Joseph, welcomes the First Lady, Martine Moise, who arrives in Haiti for the funeral of her husband," the Prime Minister's office said. 
 
Martine Moise had tweeted earlier this week while in Miami that she was still coming to terms with the killing of her husband and had thanked a "team of guardian angels who helped me through this terrible time." 
 
Earlier on Saturday, the important Core Group of international ambassadors and representatives had urged "the formation of a consensual and inclusive government". 
 
"To this end, we strongly encourage the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government," the group said. Henry, who Moise designated Prime Minister shortly before being killed, has not been sworn into his position and the country is being led by Joseph. 
 
The Core Group is made up of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the United States, France, the European Union and special representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States. 
 
"As Haiti faces serious dangers, the members of the group express the wish that all political, economic and civil society actors in the country fully support the authorities in their efforts to restore security throughout the country," it said. 
 
The group also called for the organization of "free, fair, transparent and credible legislative and presidential elections as quickly as possible". 
 
Senior opposition Senator Patrice Dumont, one of only 10 sitting lawmakers in the normally 30-seat Senate said on Thursday that fair elections cannot be held for at least a year due to the influence of violent gangs and a compromised electoral council. 
 
On Friday a Colombian police chief said the assassination may have ordered by a former Haitian justice ministry official, citing a preliminary investigation that has implicated Haitian-Americans and former Colombian soldiers.

Martine Moise, the widow of Haiti's assassinated president Jovenel Moise, returned to the Caribbean nation on Saturday for his funeral after she was treated in a Miami hospital for injuries sustained during the July 7 attack at their private residence.

Martine Moise, the widow of Haiti's assassinated president Jovenel Moise, returned to the Caribbean nation on Saturday for his funeral after she was treated in a Miami hospital for injuries sustained during the July 7 attack at their private residence. Jovenel Moise was shot dead when assassins armed with assault rifles stormed his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, tipping the country into uncertainty and sparking a frenzied investigation to identify the authors of the plan. The Prime Minister's office tweeted a video of Martine Moise arriving back at the Haitian capital's Toussaint Louverture international airport on Saturday, wearing all black clothing, donning a bullet proof vest and with her right arm in a sling. She was greeted by Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph. "The Prime Minister, Dr Claude Joseph, welcomes the First Lady, Martine Moise, who arrives in Haiti for the funeral of her husband," the Prime Minister's office said. Martine Moise had tweeted earlier this week while in Miami that she was still coming to terms with the killing of her husband and had thanked a "team of guardian angels who helped me through this terrible time." Earlier on Saturday, the important Core Group of international ambassadors and representatives had urged "the formation of a consensual and inclusive government". "To this end, we strongly encourage the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government," the group said. Henry, who Moise designated Prime Minister shortly before being killed, has not been sworn into his position and the country is being led by Joseph. The Core Group is made up of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the United States, France, the European Union and special representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States. "As Haiti faces serious dangers, the members of the group express the wish that all political, economic and civil society actors in the country fully support the authorities in their efforts to restore security throughout the country," it said. The group also called for the organization of "free, fair, transparent and credible legislative and presidential elections as quickly as possible". Senior opposition Senator Patrice Dumont, one of only 10 sitting lawmakers in the normally 30-seat Senate said on Thursday that fair elections cannot be held for at least a year due to the influence of violent gangs and a compromised electoral council. On Friday a Colombian police chief said the assassination may have ordered by a former Haitian justice ministry official, citing a preliminary investigation that has implicated Haitian-Americans and former Colombian soldiers.

Martine Moise, widow of assassinated president, returns to Haiti

On July 07, Haiti President, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-wife-injured-world-leaders-pay-tribute-396479">Jovenel Moise</a>, was assassinated in his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, while his wife survived the attack.

While the assassination was a shock, its connection to the city of Miami has not come as a surprise. The Miami-Florida connection of major criminals has been infamous for several years.

This time, too, the main suspect of Moise’s assassination, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, is a Haitian with a strong connection to the Miami area. Another detainee is a Haitian-American and the security firm, Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy (CTU), which has been accused of recruiting these criminals, is also reportedly based in the area near the Miami International airport.

<h3>Operation Gideon</h3>

While the Haitian authorities were busy nabbing the assassinators, the world worked on finding the similarities between this assassination and the raid on Venezuela in May 2020.

In late 2019, a former US army sergeant, Jordan Gourdreau, turned his Miami apartment into the headquarters of Operation Gideon. The 43-year-old used his years of experience as a green beret in Iraq and Afghanistan and mapped out a plan to overthrow and kidnap Venezuela’s President,&nbsp;Nicolás Maduro.

However, his dreams of carrying out a successful coup fell apart very soon and he found himself, along with his partner, being paraded by the Venezuelan authorities in the streets, to set an example. Reportedly, eight people were killed and more than 100 were arrested for this unsuccessful coup attempt.

The Haiti President’s assassination also played out close to the heart of the US' crime city.

<h3>Miami’s power-hungry groups</h3>

As years after years, Miami pops up in the investigations against such assassinations and coups, it makes one wonder what is it about Miami that leads all investigators back to this infamous and unlabelled ‘sin city’.

Miami, in general, has a lot of exile communities who have been dreaming about overthrowing the government of their home country and returning back to their beloved homeland. Add to that a large population of retired, military veterans experienced in areas of Latin America and the Caribbean, and a long history of corrupt politics — and you have the perfect recipe of mercenary missions.

The exile communities in the area operate in an autonomous fashion. These communities have their own internal leadership that holds more local power than the officially elected government. In addition to having their own political governance, communities also run their own radio stations and media houses that run their own agenda.&nbsp; This, in turn, affects voting in the official elections, too. For example, the existence of the Cuban and Venezuelan diaspora had played a huge part in swinging votes to Trump from Florida in the 2016 and 2020 US elections.

As many experts say, Miami is an area full of people aching to return to their homeland but on their own conditions and under their rule.

The coast from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, till West palm Beach is dominantly populated by Latin American states, mainly by Cuban, Haitian and Venezuelan communities. While the Cubans reside in areas of Little Havana, Haiti communities populate area towards the north and the area near Doral is mainly populated by Venezuelans.

<h3>Private security firms</h3>

In recent years, several private security firms have sprouted across South Florida. There are several private security firms being run by the former US special forces who are hoping to find a comfortable yet meaningful retirement in the area.

The firm which has been named for helping in the Haitian president’s assassination was also reported to having ties with the Miami security circle. However, these connections were not confirmed yet.

As per local media reports, the criminals had hoped to kidnap the deceased President and experts believe the plan was far worse than mere murder. However, the fact that the plan failed has only added chaos in the country, which was also suffering due to a staggering economy and dangerous pandemic.

Whether or not the connection to Miami was actually true is something that will soon be revealed in further investigations.

On July 07, Haiti President, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, while his wife survived the attack. While the assassination was a shock, its connection to the city of Miami has not come as a surprise.

On July 07, Haiti President, Jovenel Moise, was assassinated in his home in the hills above Port-au-Prince, while his wife survived the attack. While the assassination was a shock, its connection to the city of Miami has not come as a surprise. The Miami-Florida connection of major criminals has been infamous for several years. This time, too, the main suspect of Moise’s assassination, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, is a Haitian with a strong connection to the Miami area. Another detainee is a Haitian-American and the security firm, Counter Terrorist Unit Federal Academy (CTU), which has been accused of recruiting these criminals, is also reportedly based in the area near the Miami International airport. Operation Gideon While the Haitian authorities were busy nabbing the assassinators, the world worked on finding the similarities between this assassination and the raid on Venezuela in May 2020. In late 2019, a former US army sergeant, Jordan Gourdreau, turned his Miami apartment into the headquarters of Operation Gideon. The 43-year-old used his years of experience as a green beret in Iraq and Afghanistan and mapped out a plan to overthrow and kidnap Venezuela’s President, Nicolás Maduro. However, his dreams of carrying out a successful coup fell apart very soon and he found himself, along with his partner, being paraded by the Venezuelan authorities in the streets, to set an example. Reportedly, eight people were killed and more than 100 were arrested for this unsuccessful coup attempt. The Haiti President’s assassination also played out close to the heart of the US' crime city. Miami’s power-hungry groups As years after years, Miami pops up in the investigations against such assassinations and coups, it makes one wonder what is it about Miami that leads all investigators back to this infamous and unlabelled ‘sin city’. Miami, in general, has a lot of exile communities who have been dreaming about overthrowing the government of their home country and returning back to their beloved homeland. Add to that a large population of retired, military veterans experienced in areas of Latin America and the Caribbean, and a long history of corrupt politics — and you have the perfect recipe of mercenary missions. The exile communities in the area operate in an autonomous fashion. These communities have their own internal leadership that holds more local power than the officially elected government. In addition to having their own political governance, communities also run their own radio stations and media houses that run their own agenda. This, in turn, affects voting in the official elections, too. For example, the existence of the Cuban and Venezuelan diaspora had played a huge part in swinging votes to Trump from Florida in the 2016 and 2020 US elections. As many experts say, Miami is an area full of people aching to return to their homeland but on their own conditions and under their rule. The coast from Miami to Fort Lauderdale, till West palm Beach is dominantly populated by Latin American states, mainly by Cuban, Haitian and Venezuelan communities. While the Cubans reside in areas of Little Havana, Haiti communities populate area towards the north and the area near Doral is mainly populated by Venezuelans. Private security firms In recent years, several private security firms have sprouted across South Florida. There are several private security firms being run by the former US special forces who are hoping to find a comfortable yet meaningful retirement in the area. The firm which has been named for helping in the Haitian president’s assassination was also reported to having ties with the Miami security circle. However, these connections were not confirmed yet. As per local media reports, the criminals had hoped to kidnap the deceased President and experts believe the plan was far worse than mere murder. However, the fact that the plan failed has only added chaos in the country, which was also suffering due to a staggering economy and dangerous pandemic. Whether or not the connection to Miami was actually true is something that will soon be revealed in further investigations.

Exile headquarters: Why is Miami the 'hotbed' of Latin American assassinations and coup?

The&nbsp;funeral&nbsp;for&nbsp;Haiti's&nbsp;slain&nbsp;president Jovenel Moise will take place on&nbsp;July&nbsp;23, officials said Friday, as the troubled nation's first democratically elected&nbsp;leader&nbsp;Jean-Bertrand&nbsp;Aristide&nbsp;arrived&nbsp;home&nbsp;after receiving medical care in Cuba.

The state&nbsp;funeral&nbsp;services will take place in Cap-Haitien, a historic city in the north of&nbsp;Haiti, which has slid dangerously toward disorder since Moise was gunned down in his&nbsp;home&nbsp;in the early hours of&nbsp;July&nbsp;7.

Moise's widow Martine Moise, who was seriously injured in the attack and is being treated in the United States, is expected to return&nbsp;home&nbsp;for her husband's&nbsp;funeral.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/they-riddled-him-with-bullets-didnt-let-him-say-a-word-haiti-presidents-widow-speaks-up-on-his-assassination-397263">They riddled him with bullets, didn't let him say a word: Haiti president's widow speaks up on his assassination</a>

"The first lady, injured during the assassination of the president and hospitalized in Miami, will return to the country to participate in the&nbsp;funeral&nbsp;of her assassinated husband," interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said at a press conference.

Moise, 53, was assassinated by a hit squad made up mostly of Colombian mercenaries, but many of the details surrounding the brazen attack remain a mystery.&nbsp;

Colombia's police chief Jorge Vargas said that a former Haitian justice ministry official, Joseph Felix Badio, gave two of the Colombian mercenaries the order to kill the president.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-police-hold-presidents-palace-security-chief-398330">Haiti police hold president’s palace security chief</a>

The commandos&nbsp;had earlier been told their mission was to arrest the president, said the Colombian police chief, whose country is conducting its own investigation of the attack.

Former Colombian soldiers Duberney Capador and German Rivera had been contracted to organize the mercenaries' arrival in&nbsp;Haiti, supposedly to provide security services.

During a first meeting with the two men, Badio told them he did not yet know the date the arrest was supposed to take place, said Vargas.

Around three days before the operation "Joseph Felix Badio ... told Capador and Rivera that they would have to kill the president of&nbsp;Haiti," said Vargas.

Badio, a former official in an anti-corruption unit within the justice ministry, is one of several people wanted by Haitian police, alongside former opposition senator Joel John Joseph. Both are described on their wanted posters as "armed and dangerous.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haitian-police-deny-link-of-interim-prime-minister-to-president-moises-assassination-398506">Haitian police deny link of interim prime minister to President Moise's assassination</a>

More than 20 people have been arrested in connection with the killing. Haitian police have accused a 63-year-old Haitian doctor with strong ties to Florida, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, of being a mastermind of the plot and having "political objectives."

Joseph said 24 police officers attached to Moise's security detail were ordered to report for questioning.&nbsp;

"This investigation will run its course. If you want to assassinate me, come for me," an angry Joseph said. "The most important thing for me is the investigation."

In Miami, around 40 people of Haitian descent gathered outside the hospital where the first lady is being treated, to show their support.

Most were women and most wore blue, one of the colours of their country's flag. They carried signs with slogans such as "Healing for&nbsp;Haiti."

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/haiti-is-in-peril-and-there-are-no-simple-options-397685">Haiti is in peril, and there are no simple options</a>

"We’re going to pray on the behalf of our First Lady and the people of&nbsp;Haiti," said one of the demonstrators, Regina Martin Archat.

Meanwhile, Aristide, accompanied by his wife, returned to Port-au-Prince after getting treatment for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a> in Cuba. He received a hero's welcome from hundreds of his supporters, who crowded around an ambulance that picked up the former&nbsp;leader&nbsp;at the airport.

A caravan of motorcycle-driving allies escorted the ambulance as&nbsp;Aristide, who heads the political party Fanmi Lavalas, was driven to his private residence in the nearby suburb of Tabarre. He made no public statement.

On the day of&nbsp;Aristide's flight to Havana, Moise himself wished the 68-year-old a "speedy recovery."

Aristide, a former priest, is a controversial figure in the tumultuous politics of&nbsp;Haiti, which first elected him president in 1990.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dueling-claims-to-power-broken-institutions-how-does-haiti-fix-this-397688">Dueling claims to power. Broken institutions. How does Haiti fix this?</a>

He was ousted in a 1991 coup just months into his presidency and went into exile, and returned to&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;in 1994 to complete his term with the help of a US military intervention.

Aristide&nbsp;regained the presidency in 2001 but was forced to quit in 2004 amid a popular revolt, and under pressure from Washington and other international powers.

During exile, he settled in South Africa but returned to&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;in 2011.

The funeral for Haiti's slain president Jovenel Moise will take place on July 23, officials said Friday, as the troubled nation's first democratically elected leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide arrived home after receiving medical care in Cuba.

The funeral for Haiti's slain president Jovenel Moise will take place on July 23, officials said Friday, as the troubled nation's first democratically elected leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide arrived home after receiving medical care in Cuba. The state funeral services will take place in Cap-Haitien, a historic city in the north of Haiti, which has slid dangerously toward disorder since Moise was gunned down in his home in the early hours of July 7. Moise's widow Martine Moise, who was seriously injured in the attack and is being treated in the United States, is expected to return home for her husband's funeral. Also read | They riddled him with bullets, didn't let him say a word: Haiti president's widow speaks up on his assassination "The first lady, injured during the assassination of the president and hospitalized in Miami, will return to the country to participate in the funeral of her assassinated husband," interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said at a press conference. Moise, 53, was assassinated by a hit squad made up mostly of Colombian mercenaries, but many of the details surrounding the brazen attack remain a mystery. Colombia's police chief Jorge Vargas said that a former Haitian justice ministry official, Joseph Felix Badio, gave two of the Colombian mercenaries the order to kill the president. Also read | Haiti police hold president’s palace security chief The commandos had earlier been told their mission was to arrest the president, said the Colombian police chief, whose country is conducting its own investigation of the attack. Former Colombian soldiers Duberney Capador and German Rivera had been contracted to organize the mercenaries' arrival in Haiti, supposedly to provide security services. During a first meeting with the two men, Badio told them he did not yet know the date the arrest was supposed to take place, said Vargas. Around three days before the operation "Joseph Felix Badio ... told Capador and Rivera that they would have to kill the president of Haiti," said Vargas. Badio, a former official in an anti-corruption unit within the justice ministry, is one of several people wanted by Haitian police, alongside former opposition senator Joel John Joseph. Both are described on their wanted posters as "armed and dangerous. Also read | Haitian police deny link of interim prime minister to President Moise's assassination More than 20 people have been arrested in connection with the killing. Haitian police have accused a 63-year-old Haitian doctor with strong ties to Florida, Christian Emmanuel Sanon, of being a mastermind of the plot and having "political objectives." Joseph said 24 police officers attached to Moise's security detail were ordered to report for questioning. "This investigation will run its course. If you want to assassinate me, come for me," an angry Joseph said. "The most important thing for me is the investigation." In Miami, around 40 people of Haitian descent gathered outside the hospital where the first lady is being treated, to show their support. Most were women and most wore blue, one of the colours of their country's flag. They carried signs with slogans such as "Healing for Haiti." Also read | Haiti is in peril, and there are no simple options "We’re going to pray on the behalf of our First Lady and the people of Haiti," said one of the demonstrators, Regina Martin Archat. Meanwhile, Aristide, accompanied by his wife, returned to Port-au-Prince after getting treatment for COVID-19 in Cuba. He received a hero's welcome from hundreds of his supporters, who crowded around an ambulance that picked up the former leader at the airport. A caravan of motorcycle-driving allies escorted the ambulance as Aristide, who heads the political party Fanmi Lavalas, was driven to his private residence in the nearby suburb of Tabarre. He made no public statement. On the day of Aristide's flight to Havana, Moise himself wished the 68-year-old a "speedy recovery." Aristide, a former priest, is a controversial figure in the tumultuous politics of Haiti, which first elected him president in 1990. Also read | Dueling claims to power. Broken institutions. How does Haiti fix this? He was ousted in a 1991 coup just months into his presidency and went into exile, and returned to Haiti in 1994 to complete his term with the help of a US military intervention. Aristide regained the presidency in 2001 but was forced to quit in 2004 amid a popular revolt, and under pressure from Washington and other international powers. During exile, he settled in South Africa but returned to Haiti in 2011.

Slain Haiti leader's funeral set for July 23, ex-president Aristide back home

Military intervention in&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;"is not on the agenda", France's foreign minister has said, following a Haitian request for international help with security.

The July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, which came during a period of heightened gang violence and political instability, has plunged the nation into confusion.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-moises-suspected-assassins-plead-innocence-us-agrees-to-tentatively-aid-haiti-397492">As Moise’s suspected assassins plead innocence, US agrees to tentatively aid Haiti</a>

Haiti&nbsp;asked the United States and United Nations to help secure key strategic sites following the attack, but France's Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday said the capital's airport and oil installations came under "police protection, not military".

Le Drian suggested France would be prepared to supply police if needed but said: "this must be done under the authority of the United Nations".

A dispatch of police officers "should be seen as part of a strengthening in the United Nations presence, which is currently insufficient, to be able to ensure the electoral process", he said outside a UN meeting on Libya and the protection of humanitarian workers.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haitian-police-deny-link-of-interim-prime-minister-to-president-moises-assassination-398506">Haitian police deny link of interim prime minister to President Moise's assassination</a>

Paris and Washington intervened militarily in&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;in 2004 during the downfall of ex-leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

A UN peacekeeping mission followed between 2004 and 2007, comprising around 9,000 soldiers.

In October 2017 a police mission, the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in&nbsp;Haiti, took over and lasted until October 2019.

Any fresh UN operation would have to be authorized by the UN Security Council, according to several diplomats.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/haiti-police-hold-presidents-palace-security-chief-398330">Haiti police hold president’s palace security chief</a>

On Thursday US President Joe Biden said sending American troops to&nbsp;Haiti&nbsp;was "not on the agenda".

Military intervention in Haiti "is not on the agenda", France's foreign minister has said, following a Haitian request for international help with security. The July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, which came during a period of heightened gang violence and political instability, has plunged the nation into confusion.

Military intervention in Haiti "is not on the agenda", France's foreign minister has said, following a Haitian request for international help with security. The July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Moise, which came during a period of heightened gang violence and political instability, has plunged the nation into confusion. Also read | As Moise’s suspected assassins plead innocence, US agrees to tentatively aid Haiti Haiti asked the United States and United Nations to help secure key strategic sites following the attack, but France's Jean-Yves Le Drian on Thursday said the capital's airport and oil installations came under "police protection, not military". Le Drian suggested France would be prepared to supply police if needed but said: "this must be done under the authority of the United Nations". A dispatch of police officers "should be seen as part of a strengthening in the United Nations presence, which is currently insufficient, to be able to ensure the electoral process", he said outside a UN meeting on Libya and the protection of humanitarian workers. Also read | Haitian police deny link of interim prime minister to President Moise's assassination Paris and Washington intervened militarily in Haiti in 2004 during the downfall of ex-leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide. A UN peacekeeping mission followed between 2004 and 2007, comprising around 9,000 soldiers. In October 2017 a police mission, the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti, took over and lasted until October 2019. Any fresh UN operation would have to be authorized by the UN Security Council, according to several diplomats. Also read | Haiti police hold president’s palace security chief On Thursday US President Joe Biden said sending American troops to Haiti was "not on the agenda".

France says military intervention in Haiti 'not on agenda'

Authorities in Haiti said they have reportedly arrested the alleged key mastermind behind the assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

Haiti's police official Leon Charles said Christian Emmanuel Sanon,63, who is from the country entered "Haiti on a private plane with political objectives" and was accompanied by several Colombians.

Police said at least eighteen Colombian citizens have been arrested since last week.&nbsp;Two other people were also the mastermind behind the plot to kill the president.

FBI officials along with the US State Department and Department of Homeland Security personnel had earlier met the director-general of police.&nbsp;

Authorities said 28 men had stormed into Moise's house and killed the president while injuring his wife who suffered serious wounds and was shifted to a Miami hospital for treatment.

"The mission of these attackers was initially to ensure the safety of Emmanuel Sanon, but later the mission was changed...and they presented one of the attackers with an arrest warrant for the president of the republic," Leon Charles said.

At least three Haitian Americans have also been arrested by police.&nbsp;

"Christian Emmanuel Sanon, who is now under police control, was in contact with a Venezuelan company specialising in security located in the United States," Charles added.

Police said Sanon had arrived last month while adding that it had recovered large quantities of guns and ammunition from Sanon's house.&nbsp;

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

Authorities in Haiti said they have reportedly arrested the alleged key mastermind behind the assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Haiti's police official Leon Charles said Christian Emmanuel Sanon,63, who is from the country entered "Haiti on a private plane with political objectives" and was accompanied by several Colombians.

Authorities in Haiti said they have reportedly arrested the alleged key mastermind behind the assassination of President Jovenel Moise. Haiti's police official Leon Charles said Christian Emmanuel Sanon,63, who is from the country entered "Haiti on a private plane with political objectives" and was accompanied by several Colombians. Police said at least eighteen Colombian citizens have been arrested since last week. Two other people were also the mastermind behind the plot to kill the president. FBI officials along with the US State Department and Department of Homeland Security personnel had earlier met the director-general of police. Authorities said 28 men had stormed into Moise's house and killed the president while injuring his wife who suffered serious wounds and was shifted to a Miami hospital for treatment. "The mission of these attackers was initially to ensure the safety of Emmanuel Sanon, but later the mission was changed...and they presented one of the attackers with an arrest warrant for the president of the republic," Leon Charles said. At least three Haitian Americans have also been arrested by police. "Christian Emmanuel Sanon, who is now under police control, was in contact with a Venezuelan company specialising in security located in the United States," Charles added. Police said Sanon had arrived last month while adding that it had recovered large quantities of guns and ammunition from Sanon's house. (With inputs from Agencies)

Haiti police arrest alleged mastermind behind Moise's assassination

The United States will be sending a technical team to Haiti to help determine what are the nation's security needs.

Following the assassination of Haiti president Jovenel Moise last week, the country was thrown further into turmoil.&nbsp;

Moise was killed by a unit of assassins that, according to Haitian authorities, was composed of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans. These attackers&nbsp;reportedly&nbsp;gunned down the deceased President in his Port-au-Prince home early on Wednesday, grievously injuring his wife, Martine Moise, in the process.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/they-riddled-him-with-bullets-didnt-let-him-say-a-word-haiti-presidents-widow-speaks-up-on-his-assassination-397263">They riddled him with bullets, didn't let him say a word: Haiti president's widow speaks up on his assassination</a>

Amid deep uncertainty over its political future, the country had requested US&nbsp;assistance in investigating the attack that killed President Jovenel Moise, but the request was rebuffed.&nbsp;

Now the US has extended help. The proposed team will investigate and report back.

According to a senior Biden administration official, the team upon their return will brief US president, Joe Biden, who will "then make decisions about the way forward."

No word was immediately available on which US departments would send representatives to Haiti or how long they would be there. Washington would also be consulting its partners in the region and with the UN.

As the US readies a team, the group of Colombians and Haitian Americans suspected of assassinating Haitian President Jovenel Moise have, according to a Miami Herald report, told investigators that they were there to arrest Moise and not kill him.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/haiti-assassination-aftermath-haitian-first-lady-martine-moise-recounts-the-attack-397307/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The murder and uncertainty over the perpetrator&nbsp;have shocked the already struggling country.&nbsp;

A source said James Solages and Joseph Vincent, two Haitian Americans, told investigators they worked as translators for a Colombian commando unit that had an arrest warrant. However, when they arrived, he was already dead.

Haitian police are yet to make a comment.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/gang-boss-wades-into-haiti-turmoil-sees-conspiracy-behind-presidents-killing-397310">Gang boss wades into Haiti turmoil, sees conspiracy behind president's killing</a>

Jimmy Cherizier, a former cop known as Barbecue and one of Haiti's top gang leaders, said his men would protest the killing on Saturday.&nbsp;He calls the assassination, a police and opposition politicians conspiracy with the "stinking bourgeoisie" to sacrifice Moise.&nbsp;

Overnight, gunfire rang out in the capital, which is suffering from gang violence, displacing thousands and limiting economic activity.

The United States will be sending a technical team to Haiti to help determine what are the nation's security needs. Following the assassination of Haiti president Jovenel Moise last week, the country was thrown further into turmoil.

The United States will be sending a technical team to Haiti to help determine what are the nation's security needs. Following the assassination of Haiti president Jovenel Moise last week, the country was thrown further into turmoil. Moise was killed by a unit of assassins that, according to Haitian authorities, was composed of 26 Colombians and two Haitian Americans. These attackers reportedly gunned down the deceased President in his Port-au-Prince home early on Wednesday, grievously injuring his wife, Martine Moise, in the process. Also read | They riddled him with bullets, didn't let him say a word: Haiti president's widow speaks up on his assassination Amid deep uncertainty over its political future, the country had requested US assistance in investigating the attack that killed President Jovenel Moise, but the request was rebuffed. Now the US has extended help. The proposed team will investigate and report back. According to a senior Biden administration official, the team upon their return will brief US president, Joe Biden, who will "then make decisions about the way forward." No word was immediately available on which US departments would send representatives to Haiti or how long they would be there. Washington would also be consulting its partners in the region and with the UN. As the US readies a team, the group of Colombians and Haitian Americans suspected of assassinating Haitian President Jovenel Moise have, according to a Miami Herald report, told investigators that they were there to arrest Moise and not kill him. The murder and uncertainty over the perpetrator have shocked the already struggling country. A source said James Solages and Joseph Vincent, two Haitian Americans, told investigators they worked as translators for a Colombian commando unit that had an arrest warrant. However, when they arrived, he was already dead. Haitian police are yet to make a comment. Also read | Gang boss wades into Haiti turmoil, sees conspiracy behind president's killing Jimmy Cherizier, a former cop known as Barbecue and one of Haiti's top gang leaders, said his men would protest the killing on Saturday. He calls the assassination, a police and opposition politicians conspiracy with the "stinking bourgeoisie" to sacrifice Moise. Overnight, gunfire rang out in the capital, which is suffering from gang violence, displacing thousands and limiting economic activity.

As Moise’s suspected assassins plead innocence, US agrees to tentatively aid Haiti

Battered by gang violence and corruption, its Parliament near vacant, its judiciary in tatters, its Constitution subject to dispute, its poverty crushing and its history a chronicle of unrest, Haiti was in bad shape even before its president was assassinated and rival factions laid claim to power.

Now, it’s in meltdown.

“Haitian democracy has been slipping away for a long time and with each round it’s been getting worse,” said Peter Mulrean, a former US&nbsp;ambassador to Haiti. “There is not much left to save.”

Claude Joseph, the interim prime minister, and eight of the 10 remaining members of Parliament in the entire country of 11 million people have both said they have a legitimate right to assume power and fill Haiti’s vacuum of authority.

Joseph, as the incumbent, has tepid backing from a Biden administration desperate not to be sucked into a quagmire. The vestigial Senate, having been elected, has some legal imprimatur, but is dogged by accusations of corruption and self-dealing.

When power is disputed, institutional strength and the rule of law become paramount. Haiti has little or none. It finds itself in a desperate void. As the battle for power escalates, there is scarcely a Haitian democratic institution standing that can adjudicate the dispute stemming from the assassination of the president, Jovenel Moïse, in his home Wednesday.

After the last United States election result was contested, a mob incited by former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on January&nbsp;6, but American legal checks and balances held in the end. Further violence was averted, but only just.

Absent strong institutions, some powerful international investment in stability is critical. Afghanistan is scarcely more stable than Haiti. Neither state can make a claim to have a monopoly on the use of organized violence within its own borders, a classic definition of a government’s authority.

Yet Afghanistan overcame a similar crisis last year. After the 2020 election, both the incumbent, Ashraf Ghani, and his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, claimed victory. Abdullah initially denounced the election result as a “coup.” A violent clash seemed possible. But the United States, through intense diplomacy, was able to mediate a compromise.

“The United States had troops in the country,” said Barnett Rubin, a former State Department official with deep knowledge of Afghanistan. “It had advisers. It was invested. It was tacitly on Mr. Ghani’s side.”

The United States had an overriding national interest in resolving the conflict and opening the way for peace talks with the Taliban — even if those efforts seem fleeting now that the United States is withdrawing its troops and the Taliban advances across the country.

In Haiti, there is no clear rule of law nor any indication that the United States is eager to intervene militarily and force a resolution. If it has any national interest, it lies in preventing upheaval so close to its shores and avoiding another mass Haitian migrant exodus like the one that followed the 1991 coup that ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

The potential for the crisis in Haiti to worsen is evident. Joseph immediately declared “a state of siege,” a form of martial law, but his right to do so was unclear. In many ways, rampant gang violence had already reduced Haiti to a condition resembling a country under siege.

The Senate, or what’s left of it, wants Joseph Lambert, its president, to become provisional president and Joseph replaced as provisional prime minister by Ariel Henry. Before his death, Moïse had named Henry, a neurosurgeon, to the prime minister’s position, but he had not yet been sworn in.

The path to breaking a standoff is murky. Under Moïse, Parliament was eviscerated. The terms of two-thirds of the nation’s senators had expired, as did those of every member of the lower house, with no elections to replace them.

Critics accused Moïse of presiding over the collapse deliberately, to further consolidate power. When he was assassinated, the nation was suddenly rudderless.

Countries can function, to varying degrees, with nobody in power, or power disputed. In the postwar years, Italy and Belgium have managed with no government for long periods, but they had solid democratic institutions.

Lebanon, in dire financial straits, has limped along for many years with two military forces — the national army and the Hezbollah militia — and a sectarian power-sharing system that looks to a millennial generation like a license for the political elite to loot with impunity while the country suffers. Still, it has avoided spiraling back into civil war.

In the Ivory Coast, though, violence ultimately settled dueling claims to power after two people declared victory in the 2010 presidential election. The incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, refused to step down despite the fact that international electoral observers had recognized his rival, Alassane Ouattara, as the winner. Several thousand people were killed in a brief civil war before the French army helped pro-Ouattara forces oust Gbagbo.

In Venezuela, also deep in economic misery, Nicolás Maduro, the nation’s authoritarian leader, has clung to power through more than two years of turmoil despite the rival claims of Juan Guaidó, an opposition leader who has been backed by dozens of foreign governments, including the United States, as the rightful president.

US&nbsp;sanctions have cut off much of the Maduro government’s revenue. The result has been mass migration of precisely the kind the Biden administration wants to avoid in the case of Haiti.

Democracies take root slowly and painfully, and Haiti, since becoming the first independent state of Latin America and the Caribbean in 1804, has suffered turmoil almost without respite. Crippled by debt imposed by France, occupied by the United States for almost two decades in the early 20th century, undermined by corruption and coups, hit in 2010 by an earthquake and over the past year by the coronavirus pandemic, the country is at its most vulnerable and combustible.

But the Biden administration, at the very moment when the president has been pulling the country back from its forever wars, is wary of any deep Haitian involvement, especially of a request from Haitian officials to deploy US&nbsp;troops. Haitian leaders tend to look to Washington for backing and approval to reinforce their political credentials.

For the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, the path of least resistance may well be to seek to resolve the power conflict by urging Haiti to move forward with elections planned for September. The Biden administration has already done just that, as if voting was some panacea.

But in an article in Just Society, Mulrean, who was the US&nbsp;ambassador to Haiti between 2015 and 2017, wrote that holding the elections would be “a mistake.”

“It is tempting to think that new elections will clarify the situation and restore stability, but experience teaches us the opposite,” he wrote. “What Haiti needs is to take stock of what is broken and fix it.”

A broad coalition of opposition parties and civil society is calling for just that. Voting, they note, solves nothing if the institutions that secure democracy have ceased to function.

Battered by gang violence and corruption, its Parliament near vacant, its judiciary in tatters, its Constitution subject to dispute, its poverty crushing and its history a chronicle of unrest, Haiti was in bad shape even before its president was assassinated and rival factions laid claim to power.

Battered by gang violence and corruption, its Parliament near vacant, its judiciary in tatters, its Constitution subject to dispute, its poverty crushing and its history a chronicle of unrest, Haiti was in bad shape even before its president was assassinated and rival factions laid claim to power. Now, it’s in meltdown. “Haitian democracy has been slipping away for a long time and with each round it’s been getting worse,” said Peter Mulrean, a former US ambassador to Haiti. “There is not much left to save.” Claude Joseph, the interim prime minister, and eight of the 10 remaining members of Parliament in the entire country of 11 million people have both said they have a legitimate right to assume power and fill Haiti’s vacuum of authority. Joseph, as the incumbent, has tepid backing from a Biden administration desperate not to be sucked into a quagmire. The vestigial Senate, having been elected, has some legal imprimatur, but is dogged by accusations of corruption and self-dealing. When power is disputed, institutional strength and the rule of law become paramount. Haiti has little or none. It finds itself in a desperate void. As the battle for power escalates, there is scarcely a Haitian democratic institution standing that can adjudicate the dispute stemming from the assassination of the president, Jovenel Moïse, in his home Wednesday. After the last United States election result was contested, a mob incited by former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on January 6, but American legal checks and balances held in the end. Further violence was averted, but only just. Absent strong institutions, some powerful international investment in stability is critical. Afghanistan is scarcely more stable than Haiti. Neither state can make a claim to have a monopoly on the use of organized violence within its own borders, a classic definition of a government’s authority. Yet Afghanistan overcame a similar crisis last year. After the 2020 election, both the incumbent, Ashraf Ghani, and his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, claimed victory. Abdullah initially denounced the election result as a “coup.” A violent clash seemed possible. But the United States, through intense diplomacy, was able to mediate a compromise. “The United States had troops in the country,” said Barnett Rubin, a former State Department official with deep knowledge of Afghanistan. “It had advisers. It was invested. It was tacitly on Mr. Ghani’s side.” The United States had an overriding national interest in resolving the conflict and opening the way for peace talks with the Taliban — even if those efforts seem fleeting now that the United States is withdrawing its troops and the Taliban advances across the country. In Haiti, there is no clear rule of law nor any indication that the United States is eager to intervene militarily and force a resolution. If it has any national interest, it lies in preventing upheaval so close to its shores and avoiding another mass Haitian migrant exodus like the one that followed the 1991 coup that ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The potential for the crisis in Haiti to worsen is evident. Joseph immediately declared “a state of siege,” a form of martial law, but his right to do so was unclear. In many ways, rampant gang violence had already reduced Haiti to a condition resembling a country under siege. The Senate, or what’s left of it, wants Joseph Lambert, its president, to become provisional president and Joseph replaced as provisional prime minister by Ariel Henry. Before his death, Moïse had named Henry, a neurosurgeon, to the prime minister’s position, but he had not yet been sworn in. The path to breaking a standoff is murky. Under Moïse, Parliament was eviscerated. The terms of two-thirds of the nation’s senators had expired, as did those of every member of the lower house, with no elections to replace them. Critics accused Moïse of presiding over the collapse deliberately, to further consolidate power. When he was assassinated, the nation was suddenly rudderless. Countries can function, to varying degrees, with nobody in power, or power disputed. In the postwar years, Italy and Belgium have managed with no government for long periods, but they had solid democratic institutions. Lebanon, in dire financial straits, has limped along for many years with two military forces — the national army and the Hezbollah militia — and a sectarian power-sharing system that looks to a millennial generation like a license for the political elite to loot with impunity while the country suffers. Still, it has avoided spiraling back into civil war. In the Ivory Coast, though, violence ultimately settled dueling claims to power after two people declared victory in the 2010 presidential election. The incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, refused to step down despite the fact that international electoral observers had recognized his rival, Alassane Ouattara, as the winner. Several thousand people were killed in a brief civil war before the French army helped pro-Ouattara forces oust Gbagbo. In Venezuela, also deep in economic misery, Nicolás Maduro, the nation’s authoritarian leader, has clung to power through more than two years of turmoil despite the rival claims of Juan Guaidó, an opposition leader who has been backed by dozens of foreign governments, including the United States, as the rightful president. US sanctions have cut off much of the Maduro government’s revenue. The result has been mass migration of precisely the kind the Biden administration wants to avoid in the case of Haiti. Democracies take root slowly and painfully, and Haiti, since becoming the first independent state of Latin America and the Caribbean in 1804, has suffered turmoil almost without respite. Crippled by debt imposed by France, occupied by the United States for almost two decades in the early 20th century, undermined by corruption and coups, hit in 2010 by an earthquake and over the past year by the coronavirus pandemic, the country is at its most vulnerable and combustible. But the Biden administration, at the very moment when the president has been pulling the country back from its forever wars, is wary of any deep Haitian involvement, especially of a request from Haitian officials to deploy US troops. Haitian leaders tend to look to Washington for backing and approval to reinforce their political credentials. For the United States, the European Union and the United Nations, the path of least resistance may well be to seek to resolve the power conflict by urging Haiti to move forward with elections planned for September. The Biden administration has already done just that, as if voting was some panacea. But in an article in Just Society, Mulrean, who was the US ambassador to Haiti between 2015 and 2017, wrote that holding the elections would be “a mistake.” “It is tempting to think that new elections will clarify the situation and restore stability, but experience teaches us the opposite,” he wrote. “What Haiti needs is to take stock of what is broken and fix it.” A broad coalition of opposition parties and civil society is calling for just that. Voting, they note, solves nothing if the institutions that secure democracy have ceased to function.

Dueling claims to power. Broken institutions. How does Haiti fix this?

haiti

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