'I've Never Seen This': Former Prime Minister Of Haiti Speaks Out After Assassination Of President Jovenel Moïse
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The former prime minister of Haiti is speaking out following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.
"People of Haiti have taken a serious hit today. They've lost their president, gun down in his own home by mercenaries. Enemies of the president to come and take his life and try to assassinate his wife," said Laurent Lamothe.
Lamothe, who now lives in Miami, was a close friend of President Moïse.
He's in awe of the violence tearing through his home country.
"I've never seen this since I was born. The first time I've experienced it. This is the first time this is happened in a recent history of Haiti. So I'm surprised and confused as to what to hate the president so much that he would want to take the president's life so violently, and spent so much money doing so," said Lamothe.
The attackers were seen here approaching the president's residence in trucks. They apparently pretended to be agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.
Gunmen broke into the home early Wednesday morning. Then shots are fired, killing Moïse and wounding his wife.
Haiti has been in turmoil for months as President Moïse became increasingly unpopular for clinging to power after his term expired.
There are now fears of more violence.
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who's district includes Little Haiti and North Miami, home to the nation's most abundant Haitian population, said international intervention is apparent.
"Like the National Guard, some sort of entity, needs to go in and secure that country, because there are hundreds of gangs together today strategizing how they are going to become the president," she said. "So let's be mindful of that."
The congresswoman says she's heard from constituents who are still reeling in disbelief.
"The news hit like a ton of bricks. I couldn't believe that the president of the country could be assassinated in his own home in the middle of the night. All sorts of security had to of been breached," she said.
Wilson was on a congressional call Wednesday morning where the consensus was Haiti is need of international help from the United States.
The former prime minister said this is a Haitian issue.
"So it is better that we work with the International community, build our own capacity, build our own police, build our own army, build a special forces and be able to manage our own crisis," said Lamothe.
Lamothe said at least one person is in custody and the hitmen in the assault were speaking Spanish and English.
A midnight raid cutting short a man who Lamothe said aimed to do good by Haiti.
"It was very sad to see him go like this. He had a lot of plans for the country. He had plans to change a whole lot of things. Maybe those people who were feeling reforms rebelled," he said.