VOA慢速英语2021--海地总统遇刺案4名嫌疑人死于枪战

4 Suspects in Assassination¹ of Haiti's President Moise Die in Shootout 

The head of Haiti's national police said four suspects in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise were killed in a shootout with police.

Police Chief Léon Charles told reporters that two other suspects were arrested during the shootout late Wednesday. He described them as "mercenaries." Three police officers who were being held by the suspects were also freed.

The search for the killers² began shortly after Moise was killed during an early Wednesday morning attack at his home in the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Video obtained by the national police appears to show the assassins posed as agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency.

Bocchit Edmond is Haiti's ambassador to the United States. He told VOA that he was not certain of the gunmen's nationality. But interim³ Prime Minister Claude Joseph said the gunmen spoke⁴ English and Spanish. Most people in Haiti speak French or Haitian Creole. Joseph also declared a state of emergency and said he was the country's new leader. His hold on power, however, is uncertain.

Earlier in the week, President Moise nominated Ariel Henry to replace Joseph as the country's new prime minister. But Henry has yet to be sworn in. The New York Times reported Henry told a Haitian newspaper that Joseph is "no longer Prime Minister." He also claimed the office for himself.

Joseph is Haiti's sixth prime minister in the past four years. The country has no working parliament. And the head of the country's highest court died last month of COVID-19.

First lady Martine Moise was also shot during the attack. She is in stable, but critical condition, the ambassador said. She has been moved to a hospital in Miami, Florida, for treatment. One of the president's children who was home during the attack has been taken to a secure place.

World's reaction

U.S. President Joe Biden, in a statement, condemned⁵ Moise's assassination and wished for the first lady's recovery. He added the U.S. stands "ready to assist as we continue to work for a safe and secure Haiti."

In Washington, members of the Organization of American States held an emergency meeting Wednesday and condemned the killing⁶.

In New York, the United Nations Security Council president, French Ambassador Nicolas de Riviere, said the council was deeply shocked by the assassination. The council will meet privately⁷ Thursday morning to discuss events. The U.N. has about 1,200 staff in Haiti as part of its political mission there.

Amnesty International is calling for an investigation⁸ into Moise's assassination, calling it a sign of the "serious human rights and political crisis that Haiti has been facing for years."

Recent uptick in violence

Haiti has been experiencing political instability and division, as well as a rise in gang violence.

Last week in Port-au-Prince, gang leader Jimmy Cherisier took to the streets to protest Moise's government, calling for his resignation.

"Jovenel (Moise) must go!" Cherisier told reporters during the protest. "A new group of people needs to lead this country, and we must sit together around a table, have a national dialogue so we can redefine this country."

Words in This Story

assassination – n. the act of killing (someone, such as a famous or important person) usually for political reasons

mercenary – n. a soldier who will fight for any group or country that hires him

interim - n. a period of time between events

stable – adj. in a good state or condition that is not easily changed or likely to change

gang – n. a group of young people who do illegal things together and who often fight against other gangs

dialogue – n. a discussion or series of discussions that two groups or countries have in order to end a disagreement

1 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

2 killers   

凶手( killer的名词复数 )； 消灭…者； 致命物； 极难的事

参考例句：

• He remained steadfast in his determination to bring the killers to justice. 他要将杀人凶手绳之以法的决心一直没有动摇。
• They were professional killers who did in John. 杀死约翰的这些人是职业杀手。

3 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

6 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

7 privately   

adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地

参考例句：

• Some ministers admit privately that unemployment could continue to rise.一些部长私下承认失业率可能继续升高。
• The man privately admits that his motive is profits.那人私下承认他的动机是为了牟利。

8 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。