At least two protesters were injured when riot police opened fire in clashes in Port-au-Prince on Monday, during demonstrations against President Jovenel Moise and law enforcement.
The protesters reportedly erected barricades and set fire to one vehicle, while the riot police responded by firing tear gas and allegedly live ammunition.
Anti-government protests against the Haitian President Jovenel Moise began in February in impoverished quarters of Port-au-Prince. Demonstrators are protesting against the country’s corruption, double-digit inflation, and poor living conditions.
The accusations against Moise stem from a scandal involving the misuse of money from the PetroCaribe fund.
PetroCaribe – the brainchild of late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez – allowed participating countries to purchase cheap petroleum products with reduced interest rates. Haitian investigations into the alleged misuse of nearly $2 billion (€1.7 billion) pointed to several ministers in the current ruling party, but none have faced legal proceedings.