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Port-au-Prince. – A group of unknown gunmen attacked the private residence of Haitian President Jovenel Moise overnight and shot him dead, Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said in a statement yesterday.

“At around 1am yesterday, a group of unidentified people, including some speaking Spanish, attacked the private residence of the president, mortally wounding the head of state. The First Lady suffered bullet injuries and was in hospital,” said a statement released by Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph’s office.

The first lady was in critical condition and efforts were under way to bring her to Miami for treatment, Haiti’s ambassador to the United States said.

“She’s stable but in critical condition,” said Ambassador Bocchit Edmond

“Efforts are being done now to take her to Miami to be treated,” he said.

Meanwhile, Joseph immediately declared a “state of siege” in Haiti in a message to the nation, saying he did not want the nation to “plunge into chaos”.

He said the decision to declare a “state of siege” was made at an extraordinary council of ministers meeting yesterday morning.

A state of siege means that all borders are closed as well as martial law temporarily imposed, with Haiti’s military and the Haiti National Police (HNP) empowered to enforce the law.

Joseph in the on-camera statement appealed to citizens to stay calm. He also vowed to bring to justice those involved in the president’s assassination.

“I call on everyone to stay calm and I am very sorry to report to you the death of the president. Me and all the ministers have been working since the news broke and we want to assure you we will bring the killers of the president to justice. Please stay calm and let the authorities do their work. We don’t want the country to plunge into chaos. This is a very sad day for our nation and for our people,” Joseph said.

With Haiti politically divided, and facing a growing humanitarian crisis and shortages of food, there are fears of widespread disorder.

The government of the Dominican Republic yesterday ordered the “immediate closure” of its border with Haiti. The closure was effective immediately, said the communications officer of the defense ministry, Ceinett Sanchez.

Moise had been ruling Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, by decree, after legislative elections due in 2018 were delayed in the wake of disputes, including on when his own term ends.

In addition to the political crisis, kidnappings for ransom have surged in recent months, further reflecting the growing influence of armed gangs in the Caribbean nation. Haiti also faces chronic poverty and recurrent natural disasters.

Hours after the shock news of the assassination broke, the US said it was assessing the “tragic attack” in Haiti.

“We’re still gathering information. We’re still assessing right now,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on MSNBC, adding that US President Joe Biden had been  briefed.

The US Embassy said in a statement it would close yesterday due to the “ongoing security situation”.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday expressed his shock on Twitter as news of the assassination spread, describing it as an “abhorrent act”.

Colombian President Ivan Duque called on the Organization of American States to send an urgent mission to Haiti to protect democracy. “We reject the vile assassination of the Haitian President Jovenel Moise. It is a cowardly act full of barbarity against the entire Haitian people,” he said.

The president faced steep opposition from swathes of the population that deemed his mandate illegitimate, and he churned through a series of seven prime ministers in four years. Joseph was slated to be replaced this week after only three months in the post.

In addition to presidential, legislative and local elections, Haiti was due to have a constitutional referendum in September after it was twice postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. – Agencies