Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he strongly condemns the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse at his home.

Trudeau says in a Twitter post that he denounces the "appalling assassination," adding that Canada is ready to support the people of Haiti and offer any assistance they need.

A group of gunmen killed Moïse and wounded his wife in their home early today, inflicting more chaos in the Caribbean country already enduring an escalation of gang violence, antigovernment protests and a recent surge in COVID-19 infections.

The assassination creates more uncertainty ahead of planned general elections later this year.

Moïse, who was 53 years old, had been ruling by decree for more than a year after the country failed to hold elections and the opposition demanded he step down in recent months.

Haiti is the largest recipient of development assistance from Canada in the Americas and Canada is the second-largest donor to Haiti after the United States.

Since the 2010 earthquake, Ottawa has provided $1.5 billion to Haiti, including $345 million in humanitarian assistance and $1.15 billion in development assistance.