Haiti hit with more violence amid third day of protests

PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI — Haiti faced a third day of protests and violence on Tuesday as anger grew over allegations of government corruption.

An Associated Press journalist saw a man who had been fatally shot near the National Palace. It wasn’t clear who shot him.

Schools, businesses and government offices remained closed while scattered protests were reported across the country.

“Haiti is always in crisis, but this crisis is the worst I’ve seen,” said Dieufete Lebon, a 35-year-old moto-taxi driver who was looking for clients in the largely empty streets of Port-au-Prince.

At least eight deaths have been reported in clashes between protesters and police since the protests began on Sunday. Among the dead is a police officer who was shot and burned to death by a gang on Monday.

Three people also were wounded, including a 29-year-old French woman and a HaitianAmerican tourist, who were hurt when a group of armed men opened fired on an airport shuttle when it refused to stop.

“Where is this leading us to?” asked Lebon, who said that President Jovenel Moise should step down if the situation does not improve. “If tomorrow the country stays paralyzed, the Haitian people are going to lose their patience.”

Demonstrators have demanded that the president resign for not investigating allegations of corruption in the previous government over the subsidized energy program Petrocaribe.