The Italian government has deplored the "brutal" killing of Haiti's president Jovenel Moise, who was shot dead on Wednesday by heavily armed gunmen who stormed his home in the nation's capital Port-au-Prince.
"Italy is appalled by the news of the brutal assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise and strongly condemns the attack at the heart of Haitian institutions," read a statement on Thursday from Italy's foreign ministry.
The statement expressed "sincere condolences to the Moise's family and to the Haitian people and said Italy hopes that Moise's killers "will be brought to justice as soon as possible".
Moise, a 53-year-old former businessman, had been in power since February 2017. Haiti's opposition said that Moise's five-year term should have ended on 7 February 2021 - five years to the day since his predecessor, Michel Martelly, stepped down.
"Italy appeals to all Haitian political actors and forces to preserve the delicate political balance, prevent tensions from erupting and ensure the institutional stability of the country and the security of the population," said the foreign ministry statement.
The statement called on nations "to support every effort to this end".
"Also, in view of guaranteeing the constitutional referendum and the elections, which are absolutely necessary milestones for launching a democratic and shared process, centred on national dialogue between all political forces and on the strengthening of Haitian institutions," it went on.
Amid heightened political tensions in the Caribbean nation in recent weeks, Haitian authorities announced in June that a controversial referendum on constitutional reform proposed by Moise would be delayed from 27 June to 26 September - the same date as presidential and legislative elections. The planned referendum has already been postponed twice, in part due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
