PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) 鈥� The wife Haiti鈥檚 assassinated President Jovenel Mo茂se, who was injured in the attack that killed her husband, returned to the Caribbean nation on Saturday, an official said.
Government spokesman Israel Cantave told The Associated Press that Martine Mo茂se arrived in Haiti following her release from a Miami hospital.
Earlier, from the hospital, Martine Mo茂se had issued the recorded statement in Creole accusing her husband's enemies of wanting 鈥渢o kill his dream, his vision, his ideology.鈥�
Jovenel Mo茂se was killed on July 7 by gunmen who raided his private home in an attack that authorities say involved Haitians, Haitian-Americans and former Colombian soldiers.
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A key group of international diplomats on Saturday appeared to snub the man currently running Haiti by urging another politician, the designated prime minister, to form a government following the assassination of President Jovenel Mo茂se.
Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph has been leading Haiti with the backing of police and the military despite the fact that Mo茂se had announced his replacement a day before the president was killed.
Joseph and his allies argue that the designated successor, Ariel Henry, was never sworn in, though he pledged to work with him and with Joseph Lambert, the head of Haiti鈥檚 inactive Senate.
The statement was issued by the Core Group, which is composed of ambassadors from Germany, Brazil, Canada, Spain, the U.S., France, the European Union and representatives from the United Nations and the Organization of American States.
The group called for the creation of 鈥渁 consensual and inclusive government.鈥�
鈥淭o this end, it strongly encourages the designated Prime Minister Ariel Henry to continue the mission entrusted to him to form such a government,鈥� the group said.
U.S. officials could not be immediately reached for comment. A U.N. spokesman declined comment except to say that the U.N. is part of the group that issued the statement. Meanwhile, an OAS spokesman only said the following: 鈥淔or the moment, there is nothing further to say other than what the statement says.鈥�
Henry and spokespeople for Joseph did not immediately return messages for comment.
The group also asked that 鈥渁ll political, economic and civil society actors in the country fully support authorities in their efforts to restore security.鈥�
Robert Fatton, a Haitian politics expert at the University of Virginia, said the statement is very confusing especially after the U.N. representative had said that Joseph was in charge.
鈥淢ore confusion in a very confusing and bewildering situation,鈥� he said.
Mo茂se was killed on July 7 by gunmen who raided his private home in an attack that authorities say involved Haitians, Haitian-Americans and former Colombian soldiers.
The question of who should take over has been complicated by the fact Haiti's parliament has not been functioning because a lack of elections meant most members' terms had expired. And the head of the Supreme Court recently died of Covid-19.
A day after the assassination, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price noted that Joseph was the incumbent in the position and was serving as acting prime minister before the assassination: 鈥淲e continue to work with Claude Joseph as such,鈥� he said.
On July 11, a delegation of representatives from the U.S. Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, and National Security Council traveled to Haiti. They reviewed critical infrastructure, talked with Haitian National Police and met with Joseph, Henry and Lambert in a joint meeting.
D谩nica Coto, The Associated Press
