PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — Opposition political parties have condemned the actions of the police, who used tear gas to disperse demonstrators who took to the streets on Friday in the continued effort to remove President Jovenel Moise from office.

“The Democratic and Popular Sector condemns the provocative behaviour of the PNH (Haiti National Police) who dispersed the demonstration of the opposition,” the opposition grouping said, adding that it understands “that the order to disperse the demonstration came directly from the head of the government, (Prime Minister) Jean Henry Céant.”

Supporters of at least 20 political parties and other groups clashed with police on Friday as they took to the streets demanding Moise’s removal for not investigating allegations of corruption in the previous government over PetroCaribe, an oil alliance of many Caribbean states with Venezuela to purchase oil on conditions of preferential payment.

But in a radio and television broadcast earlier this week, Moise dismissed calls for his resignation.

“It is within the framework of the democracy that the Haitian people elected me president in elections free and honest as the wish the Constitution.

“During the five years of my presidency, no one, I mean nobody, whatever the pretext, cannot threaten the interests of the country or put the nation in danger. The strength of any democracy, it is the respect of the law,” Moise said.

On Friday, several Western countries and international organisations condemned the acts of violence occurring in Haiti and urged all stakeholders in the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country to “move the political dialogue forward in ways that advance the interests and aspirations of the Haitian people”. And that several vehicles were vandalised.