WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States is assessing the “tragic attack” that killed Haiti’s president overnight and President Joe Biden will be briefed on the assassination, the White House said on Wednesday.
“We’re still gathering information,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on MSNBC. “We’re still assessing right now.”
Haitian President Jovenel Moise was shot dead by unidentified attackers in his private residence overnight.
“This is a tragic tragedy. It’s a horrific crime,” Psaki said in an interview with CNN.
The U.S. government was still obtaining specifics on the attack and Psaki expressed solidarity with the people of Haiti.
“We stand ready and stand by them to provide any assistance that’s needed,” she said. “Of course our embassy and State Department will be in close touch but it’s a tragedy. We stand with them and it’s important that people of Haiti know that.”
The opposition in Haiti had accused the United States – Haiti’s top foreign donor – of being lenient towards Moise, given his support for U.S. foreign policy. His administration broke ranks with the Caribbean community (Caricom) to oppose Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Doina Chiacu; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Mark Heinrich)
