WASHINGTON – Upon the news of the brazen assassination of Haiti’s president at his home, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Bishop David J. Malloy of Rockford, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on International Justice and Peace, issued the following statement:

“We express our sadness and shock at Wednesday’s assassination of President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti and the wounding of his wife, Martine Moïse.  

“This shocking attack further compounds Haiti’s current political unrest and the multitude of challenges they face in the wake of natural disasters, hunger, failing economy, and gang violence that has made it one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. We join in solidarity with the Church in Haiti and all Haitians in this time of crisis, renewing our hope in Christ Jesus for their country. We share the prayers and sentiments of Pope Francis who seeks ‘a future of fraternal harmony, solidarity, and prosperity’ for Haiti in light of this tragic news. We urge the United States Government to continue to explore ways of effectively addressing the deeply rooted issues that prevent the country from emerging from its problems. “