Haitian Lawmakers Ask Senate To Indict President Moise

Twenty Haitian members of the house of representatives presented a letter to the head of the Senate and to Vice President Gary Bodeau Tuesday, urging them to officially accuse President Jovenel Moise of corruption, funds misappropriation, and repeated Constitution violations.

A similar request was put forth by the house to the vice president last February, but it went unanswered.

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"All sectors of national life have expressed themselves in agreement with popular demands. Recent positions of the Haitian Bishops' Conference, Economic Forum of Private Business, Protestant Federation of Haiti and civil society groups are unequivocal. They point out that the president is responsible for the disastrous situation in the country," say the legislators in their letter.

Superior Court of Auditors submitted an overwhelming 600 pages report May 31 that outlined how President Moise mishandled Petrocaribe funds meant for social and development projects throughout Haiti that has a 58 percent poverty rate, according to the United Nations​​.

The report describes as "serious" the ways in which the government has illicitly spent more than US$2 billion of Petrocaribe funds. It is now up to Congress to decide if they will take action regarding the information in the document.

"Parliament cannot remain indifferent to the demands of population," pressed the 20 representatives who signed the letter. “We remind you of the urgent need for you to take into account the request made 20 February for an indictment against President Jovenel Moïse for acts constituting crime of high treason.”

The group additionally demands that the president be judged before an ordinary court.

“Once Mr. Moïse is dismissed from office, he will be brought before an ordinary court to answer the facts he is accused of," read the letter.

Protests have been nearly ongoing in Haiti in reaction to the country's deep economic, social and political crisis. At least two people were reportedly killed from gunshots and various injured and others arrested after further unrest began Sunday. Haiti ranks as the 15th most corrupt nation worldwide, according to Transparency International.

Haitian population is awaiting for the president to react and make a statement about the report, but Moise has only addressed what he calls, “the acts of violence perpetrated” against television Guinen he says, “are unworthy of a society where freedom of the press is allowed” via Twitter.