Senior officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI will arrive in Haiti starting Sunday in order to assess how they can best help the country and its people after the brutal murder of the country's President, Jovenel Moïse.
“The United States remains engaged in close consultations with our Haitian and international partners to support the Haitian people in the aftermath of the assassination of President Moise," a White House statement released Friday said.
"In response to the Haitian government’s request for security and investigative assistance, we will be sending senior FBI and DHS officials to Port-au-Prince as soon as possible to assess the situation and how we may be able to assist. There are no plans to provide U.S. military assistance at this time.”
This comes as Haiti's First Lady, Martine Moïse, is recovering from gunshot wounds at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where there is heavy security outside.
Get South Florida local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC South Florida newsletters.
This is happening as unrest continues in Haiti, days after Moïse's husband, President Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated at his home.
As large crowds gather outside the U.S. embassy in Port-au-Prince Friday, fear and desperation keep growing on the island.
Moïse tweeted this voice message early Saturday.
She says she’s alive and asks that the country keeps calm.
She also asks that they continue her husband’s legacy and not let his death be in vain.
News
So far, dozens of people have been arrested in connection to the assassination, including James Solages, who lives in South Florida.
His uncle, Schubert Dorisme, doesn’t believe the allegations.
"I don’t know if he did it," Dorisme said. "I think it’s a set up. I think somebody was behind that."
Dorisme says his nephew works in maintenance and as a security guard.
Online, Solages describes himself as a child advocate and head of a charity in South Florida with an office in Fort Lauderdale.
"He’s a young guy," Dorisme said. "He’s a nice guy. He never get in trouble. He respect everybody."
Officials in Haiti have asked the U.S. and the U.N. to deploy troops to protect buildings and infrastructure in the wake of the assassination.
Stores as well as some government offices remain closed despite the prime minster's calls on Thursday to remain calm and get back to business.
Officials say that before the assassination, much of the country was being overrun by gang violence.
Thousands of people have left their homes trying to find safety.
