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What Is Happening in Haiti?

President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated this week, but the country suffered from political violence long before that.
Jovenel Moise, Haiti's president, speaks during an interview in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, on Monday, Jan. 29, 2018.
Jovenel Moise, Haiti's president, speaks during an interview in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti, on Monday, Jan. 29, 2018. (Photographer: Alejandro Cegarra/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

On Wednesday, Haitian President Jovenel Moïse was killed in an attack at his home, destabilizing the country’s already-precarious political situation. For the past year, the capital of Port-au-Prince has been plagued with violence between supporters and opponents of the current government, and the city has been divided into different factions. VICE journalist Jason Motlagh goes to the heart of the battle in Haiti, and helps put this week’s stunning assassination news into context.

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Haiti’s president was shot and killed in an attack at his home.  

Even before the president’s assassination, gangs in Haiti were killing with impunity

In March, thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Port-au-Prince demanding President Moïse step down. 

Who murdered Haiti’s president

Gang wars in Haiti are disrupting critical food supply chains, and pushing people to the brink of starvation.

CREDITS: 

This episode was reported by Jason Motlagh, Adam Desiderio, Amanda Pisetzner and Jeremy Dupin. They made a film about their reporting which you can check out on VICE’s documentary TV series on Showtime.  

VICE News Reports is produced by Jesse Alejandro Cottrell, Sophie Kazis, Jen Kinney, Janice Llamoca, Julia Nutter, and Sayre Quevedo. Our senior producers are Ashley Cleek and Adizah Eghan. Our associate producers are Sam Egan and Adreanna Rodriguez. Sound Design and music composition by Steve Bone, Pran Bandi and Kyle Murdock. Fact Checking by Nicole Pasulka.  

Our executive producer and VP of VICE Audio is Kate Osborn. Janet Lee is senior production manager for VICE Audio. Production coordination by Steph Brown.