Martine Moïse

Martine Marie Étienne Moïse (née Joseph; born 5 June 1974) is the former First Lady of Haiti and the widow of President Jovenel Moïse. She served as the country's first lady from February 2017 until the assassination of her husband on 7 July 2021. Moïse was wounded in the same attack at their home in Pétion-Ville.[1]

Martine Moïse
Moïse in December 2018
First Lady of Haiti
In role
7 February 2017 – 7 July 2021
PresidentJovenel Moïse
Preceded byGinette Michaud Privert
Succeeded byAnnie Claude Massiau (acting)
Personal details
Born
Martine Marie Étienne Joseph

(1974-06-05) 5 June 1974
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Political partyTèt Kale
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1996; died 2021)​
Children3
ResidencePétion-Ville
Alma materQuisqueya University

Early life and education

Moïse was born Martine Marie Étienne Joseph on 5 June 1974, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.[2] She completed her elementary and high school studies at Roger Anglade School in Port-au-Prince in 1993.[2] She then received a degree in interpretation studies at Quisqueya University in 1997.[2]

First Lady of Haiti

She met her future husband, Jovenel Moïse, while both were students at Quisqueya University.[3] The couple married in 1996.[3] Later that same year, Moïse and her husband moved to Port-de-Paix, Nord-Ouest department, with the intention of working in rural development.[3]

She became Haiti's first lady after her husband won the November 2016 presidential election on February 7, 2017. During her tenure, Martine Moïse served as president of the Fondasyon Klere Ayiti, a community development organization focused on civic education and women's issues.[4] In October 2017, she became president of coordination for Global Fund in Haiti, which aims to alleviate HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other public health diseases in Haiti.[4] Moïse also advocated new investments in the Haitian arts and crafts industry in an effort to boost local artisans.[4]

Attack
Main article: Assassination of Jovenel Moïse

On 7 July 2021, President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated, while Martine Moïse was shot and seriously wounded during the attack at their residence in Pétion-Ville.[5] Moïse suffered gunshots wounds to her arms and thigh, with other severe injuries to her hand and abdomen.[6] Moïse was initially treated at the General Hospital of Port-au-Prince, while false, erroneous rumors of her death began to circulate.[7][8][5]

Haiti's Ambassador to the United States, Bocchit Edmond, told reporters that Moïse was "in stable, but critical condition" and arrangements were being made to evacuate her to Miami for treatment.[9]

Later the same day, Moïse was airlifted by Trinity Air Ambulance from Haiti to Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida, arriving in Fort Lauderdale at approximately 3:30 p.m.[6] She was taken by ambulance from the airport to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.[6][10]

On 10 July, she posted an audio message to her Twitter account, saying her husband was killed in a well-planned attack by a group of "highly trained and heavily armed" individuals, with the assassination being so quick he couldn't say a word. She accused unnamed people of being behind the assassination of her husband, due to the issue of roads, water, electricity, and the constitutional referendum, so they could stall a democratic transition of power. She also called on Haiti to not lose its way and not let Jovenel's sacrifice go to waste.[11]

Martine shared photos of herself lying in the hospital bed on 14 July and thanked the medical team for saving her. She added that she was still in shock over the way her husband died, and her pain over his death would never pass.[12]

She returned to Haiti on 17 July after she was released from the hospital. Her flight landed at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, where she was greeted by government officials, including the interim President Claude Joseph. Her return was not announced in advance and left many surprised.[13]

References
  1. "Haiti President Jovenel Moïse assassinated at home". CNBC. Associated Press. 2021-07-07. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  2. "Mrs. Martine Moïse, Haiti". Spouses of CARICOM Leaders Action Network. Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  3. Boursiquot, Sherley (2017-02-07). "Who Is Jovenel Moïse? Meet Haiti's New President After 2016 Election". International Business Times. Archived from the original on 2017-02-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  4. Feitelberg, Rosemary (2019-09-25). "Five Minutes With Haiti's First Lady Martine Moïse: 'Haiti Is Fighting to Get Up From the Floor'". Women's Wear Daily. Archived from the original on 2019-09-27. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  5. "Haiti President Jovenel Moïse assassinated at home, official says". Euronews. 2021-07-07. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  6. Stanwood, Janine (2021-07-07). "First Lady of Haiti Martine Moïse arrives in South Florida for treatment after being shot multiple times". WPLG. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  7. "Muere primera dama de Haití tras ser herida en atentado contra Jovenel Moïse". El Nuevo Diario (in Spanish). 2021-07-07. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  8. "Muere primera dama de Haití, Martine Moïse, tras ataque al mandatario". Diario Libre (in Spanish). 2021-07-07. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  9. "Haiti's first lady in critical condition, to be brought to Miami -Haitian envoy". Reuters. 2021-07-07. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-08.
  10. "Haiti President Jovenel Moïse assassinated in middle-of-the-night attack at his home". Miami Herald. 2021-07-07. Archived from the original on 2021-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-07.
  11. "Haiti: Wife of assassinated President Jovenel Moise speaks out". Al-Jazeera. 10 July 2021. Archived from the original on 11 July 2021.
  12. Musumeci, Natali (16 July 2021). "Assassinated Haitian President Jovenel Moïse's wife shares photos of herself from hospital bed, says 'this pain will never pass'". Business Insider. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  13. "Martine Moïse, Wife Of Slain President, Returns To Haiti". NPR. Associated Press. 17 July 2021. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
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