PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Claude Joseph, the prime minister who took control of Haiti’s government after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, is stepping down, the minister for elections said Monday, as foreign powers weigh in on the leadership struggle ignited after the president’s death. Ever since the assassination on July 7, Haitian politicians have been at loggerheads, grappling for control of the government. And the scramble for power is being heavily influenced by foreign countries, including the United States, which has long held enormous sway in the country. “Haiti has become a baseball being thrown between foreign diplomats,” said Joseph Lambert, the president of Haiti’s Senate, adding that pressure from American diplomats was a major factor in the sudden reshuffling of Haiti’s leadership. As Senate president, Mr. Lambert said he had sought to lead the nation after the president’s death.

Source: International New York Times July 19, 2021 14:24 UTC