NEW ORLEANS — Haitian immigrants living in the New Orleans area are watching developments in their home country with great concern.
Wednesday's assassination of President Jovenel Moise has turned what was already a country in crisis into a nation under siege.
“This is a difficult situation for many of us because we have relatives and families and everyone that are really just trying to make it on a daily basis, Jean Montes said.
Montes was born in Haiti. He is now an Associate Professor of Music at Loyola University. Montes says political instability in Haiti has been a problem for many years.
“It seems this is another chapter of this unfortunate situation which does not necessarily showcase the beauty of the people of Haiti,” Montes said.
Joseph Hector Louis-Jeune is an accountant from Haiti now living in Harvey.
He says the unrest back home is heart wrenching.
“My wife doesn’t sleep,” Louis-Jeune said. “Everybody is talking about it. I’m telling you, it’s very worrisome.”
Louis-Jeune said nobody knows who running the country or what will happen next.
“I spoke with my siblings in Haiti. They are doing fine, thank God. Everybody is staying home. You don’t want to go wander in the street right now.”
The First Lady of Haiti, Martine Moïse was badly injured during the assassination of her husband. She is now recovering at a south Florida hospital. About three years ago she attended a reception in New Orleans.
Jean Montes provided the music for the event.
“I’ve had the opportunity to talk to her and see her interest in helping in the arts in Haiti,” Montes said. “Since then, we’ve stayed connected. So, it’s doubly hard because I know they were trying, and they had a good heart.”
There are about 10,000 Haitians now living in the New Orleans area. Many of them are now fearful, without a clear plan forward, things could get worse in Haiti, before they get better.
Authorities in Haiti say seventeen suspects have been detained so far in Wednesday's killing, including two men believed to be U.S. citizens.
Fifteen of the detainees are from Colombia.