Eric Jean Baptiste, a former presidential candidate and chief of a political get together in Haiti, has been killed in a capturing, a celebration official mentioned Saturday. The killing surprised many in a nation already in disaster.
Baptiste was killed Friday in the neighborhood of Laboule within the capital of Port-au-Prince alongside along with his bodyguard, in response to Ricardo Nordain, spokesman for his Rally of Progressive Nationwide Democrats, which was based in 1979 by former President Leslie Manigat.
Baptiste additionally owned one of many largest lottery corporations in Haiti, "Pere Eternel."
Nobody has been arrested.
Prime Minister Ariel Henry mentioned he and others had been revolted by the killing.
"The horrific assassination of the political chief Eric Jean Baptiste and his bodyguard has as soon as once more plunged the Haitian nation into turmoil. We strongly condemn this heinous crime in opposition to this patriot, this reasonable politician dedicated to alter," he tweeted.
The killing occurred in an space the place the Ti Makak gang, which suggests "Little Macaques," is preventing with the Toto gang for management of territory. The group is situated close to Pelerin, the place President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in his personal residence in July 2021.
In August, Yvon Buissereth, a former senator who labored for the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, was killed and his physique set on fireplace.
In January, two journalists additionally had been killed in Laboule and their our bodies set on fireplace.