MOSCOW. July 7 (Interfax) - The assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise and his wife is a result of the protracted internal conflict in the country, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.
"We received the news of the tragic events that resulted in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise and his wife with deep regret. We see in the incident a consequence of an internal conflict that has lasted for a long time, outbursts of violence, and rampant crime in this country," Zakharova said in a commentary published on the Russian Foreign Ministry website.
"The path to improving the situation in Haiti lies through reaching broad domestic political consensus with strict observance of the generally recognized principles and regulations of international law," she said.
"It is important that all decisions are worked out and adopted exclusively through peaceful political means by the Haitians themselves, relying on international support, without destructive interference from outside, in order to reach solutions acceptable to the parties," Zakharova said.
Zakharova offered "sincere condolences to the people and government of Haiti, as well as to the family of Jovenel Moise." "We hope that the Haitian people will be able to overcome this complicated period in the country's history via an inclusive political dialogue within the framework of the domestic and international legal field," she said.
Haitian President Moise was assassinated at his residence overnight. At around 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 7, a group of unidentified individuals, including some speaking Spanish, attacked the private residence of the president, mortally injuring him.
Condemning this heinous, inhuman, and barbaric act, the government is calling on the population to calm down and reassuring that the security situation is under the control of the army and the police, according to a government communique released by France 24.
Moise was elected president of Haiti in November 2016 and took office in February 2017.